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Your safety and the security of your personal property are of great concern to us. We urge you to take advantage of the following suggestions.

Fire Safety

KNOW YOUR WAY OUT — Immediately after arriving in your room, please examine possible escape routes available to you. Walk down the hallway to find the fire exits closest to your room. Remember, you should never use the elevator as an exit during a fire emergency.

KNOW YOUR ROOM LAYOUT — Knowing the layout of your room may be very important. In case smoke or flames block your escape, you may have to stay in your room and await rescue. Usually, it is safer to remain in your room protected from smoke and gases than to try to make a hazardous escape. Place your keycard by your bedside so you can find it easily.

IF FIRE BREAKS OUT, TAKE THE PROPER ACTION — If a fire breaks out in your room, get out of the room and close the door tightly behind you to keep the hall free of smoke and flames. Activate the nearest fire alarm. If possible, you should report the fire to the fire department and then the Front Desk.

Security

DOUBLE LOCK — For additional security, utilize the deadbolt provided on your door upon entering. This will prevent the door from being opened by a regular room key.

ADMITTANCE — Do not admit persons to your room without first making identification. A viewer is provided in your door for your convenience. If there is any doubt about the person's identity, please contact the Front Desk.

KEYS — Safeguard your keycard. Be sure to leave it with the Front Desk upon departure. Do not leave it in your room or in the door. Do not give your keycard to others.

Severe Weather

Our weather is beautiful, but can sometimes be unpredictable. In the event of severe weather, it is important to remember the following definitions in order to take the necessary precautions.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch — Thunderstorms with damaging winds and hail are possible. Keep alert for more weather information.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning — Thunderstorms with high winds and hail are occurring or moving into the area.

Tornado Watch — Weather conditions are conducive to possible tornadoes. Keep alert for more weather information.

Tornado Warning — A tornado has been sighted nearby. Move to the lowest floor possible, preferably a basement, and stay away from windows.

Watches and Warnings are issued by the county. We are in Linn County. For questions, please contact the Front Desk by touching 0. These recommendations are to be construed only as suggestions. Each person should use their judgment in any emergency situation.

Points Of Interest

Recreation

HILLCREST COUNTRY CLUB - Enjoy a challenging and beautiful nine-hole course. Golf carts, clubs and pull carts are available for rental. Call for greens fee and tee times. 319-895-8193.

MOUNT VERNON SWIMMING POOL - Located at 919 2nd Avenue North, this public swimming pool is open June through August. Pool amenities include a zero-depth entrance, slides, diving boards and other fun water features. Call for admission prices and hours of operation. 319-895-9191.

PALISADES-KEPLER STATE PARK - This 840-acre park lies along the beautiful Cedar River in Linn County. Picnic shelters are available for rent by contacting the park ranger. 319-895-6039.

Local Attractions

ABBE CREEK SCHOOL MUSEUM - This one-room school is believed to be the oldest standing brick schoolhouse in Iowa. Located two miles northwest of Mount Vernon on Mount Vernon Road, this facility is open to the public on Sunday afternoons from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. from June 1 through August 31 annually.

AMANA COLONIES - Located just minutes from I-80, the seven villages of the Amana Colonies offer visitors the opportunity to step back from today’s busy pace to relish in the comfort of locally crafted foods, furniture, art and more. The Colonies offer a unique history and culture found nowhere else in the world.

BRUCEMORE MANSION - Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a 19th-century mansion, filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families. Concerts, theater programs and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.

HERBERT HOOVER NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE - Established August 12, 1965, the historic buildings and grounds of this 186-acre site commemorate the life of the 31st President of the United States. Located 26 miles south of Mount Vernon at 110 Parkside Drive, West Branch, Iowa. Open daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Mount Vernon History

Mount Vernon has three Historic Districts on the National Register of Historic Places.

The entire Cornell College campus and adjoining homes have the theme of interplay between small town and small college. The district represents almost every major American building style from the 1850s to 1950s, almost all of them well preserved. It illustrates the interplay of how a town and a college grow together.

The commercial district is a block and a half of small businesses in buildings dating to the 1850s. Included are many buildings from the 1880s and 1890s and an unusual example of a men's haberdashery store, Bauman's, which remains virtually untouched since 1910.

The Ash Park residential district is an example of a turn-of-the-century housing development occupying the former orchard of a town founder. The area is filled with a variety of Victorian-style, large homes featuring grand porches and spacious lots.

Cornell College

Cornell College could not have come into existence on the Iowa frontier in 1853 without the strong financial and moral support it received from Mount Vernon merchants and landowners. Mount Vernon was newly settled when Cornell opened as a Methodist institution. Local leaders were interested in the fine primary and preparatory education Cornell could offer at a time when public schools were scarce and operated only a few months a year. By the 1890s, Cornell was the largest school in Iowa because of a burgeoning preparatory department whose enrollments exceeded those of the college. Nearly 150 years after its founding, Cornell continues to rely on its location in a thriving, charming and historic community, placing an emphasis on student service and leadership atop an ideal wooded setting that is one of two U.S. campuses listed on the National Register of Historic Places.