In March, 1950, Fredericktown marked the 100th anniversary of its incorporation. With the middle of the nineteenth century also came the outbreak of hostilities in Korea in June of 1950, and the loss of 18 Knox Co. servicemen before its end. Radio broadcasting began in 1951 with WMVO-FM, and its AM service went on the air in 1953. Mount Vernon's new library was dedicated in 1952, and our telephone company offices suffered a devastating fire in 1953. Mount Vernon celebrated its Sesquicentennial in 1955. The Mount Vernon Bible College opened in Bangs in 1957, the year that Pitkin's Market closed. And in 1959, winter snow and rain resulted in one of our biggest floods of the twentieth century.
In the early 1960's, the Mount Vernon Bridge Co. closed permanently, passenger railroad service ended here, and Gambier and Amity School Districts joined the Mount Vernon School District. Interstate 71 was opened, Mount Vernon's new city hall and Martin Memorial Hospital expansions were completed, and Wenco located in the new Industrial Park.
In the later '60's, Cooper became Cooper Industries, with the headquarters moving to Houston, Texas. In education, Kenyon College went co-ed as The Mount Vernon Nazarene College opened its doors next to our new Joint Vocational and High Schools.
The late 1960's and early '70's saw the beginnings of the Ariel Corporation, Kelsey-Hayes, and Apple Valley, and the closing of the Cooper Foundry and the Vernon Theater. From 1963 through 1973, many of our citizens gave military service in Vietnam, with 31 lives lost from Knox County.