Knox County was created in 1808 and named for Henry Knox, the first United States Secretary of War. Its county seat, Mount Vernon, was founded in 1805 and named for George Washington’s Virginia estate.
John Chapman, known as Johnny Appleseed, owned land in Mount Vernon and planted apple nurseries in the area during the early 1800s.
In 1824 Bishop Philander Chase founded Kenyon College in the village of Gambier, where its stone buildings and wooded campus remain a regional landmark. Mount Vernon Nazarene University adds to the county’s strong educational tradition.
Places to Explore
The Kenyon College campus in Gambier, the Kokosing Gap Trail, the Mount Vernon Public Square, and Ariel Foundation Park.
Did You Know?
The Kokosing Gap Trail follows a former railroad line, making it a scenic route for walking and cycling through the Knox County countryside.
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