The Skagit River Bakery also sprang up at that time. It's still the only bakery in town that uses wood-fired ovens. The Grainery, now a shopping center, was also built about that time. The principal trade in town was in furs and hides through Clothier and English; very little money was in circulation.
John Lorenzy, town resident, was so proud of the logging industry in town he trimmed a six-foot diameter tree by hand in strong winds to serve as the town's 4th of July flagpole. Then something happened that left it in disarray. A great fire ravaged through town in 1891 and burned the tree - it had to be cut down. Businesses were burned down.
The town decided to move the town center from Front Street to First Street, which is still the main street in town today. Front Street as it existed then washed away; however, there is still a Front Street on the river.
The town rebuilt after the fire. The Downs Opera House sprang up; it's the Lido Theatre now. The Carnation plant was built (it's now Condensery Mall). A bridge was built across the Skagit River in 1892. In 1906 the Siwash Shingle Mill was built where today's Lions Park stands.
The Mount Vernon Cream Company was the first condenser in the country. Also the largest in the country, it manufactured 16,000 pounds of butter a month. Swiss-born Leon Chevally owned the establishment. It burned down in 1906, but was rebuilt. The town was noted for its condensed milk process. Pacific Coast Milk Company and Mount Vernon Condensed Milk Company were the two other large condenseries in town. Dairy was big business. Edison Creamery paid $400 a week for cream. In 1906 there were actually seven dairies, as listed by the county historical society.
Mount Vernon's existence had its trials. Floods ravaged town in 1894, ruining crops. The town again flourished and the first country fair was held in 1898. Tragedy hit again - In 1903 the Great Northern Railroad Bridge between Mount Vernon and Burlington went down with a large freight train. This kept newspapers hopping.
The spirit of the pioneers continued to build town spirit, however. Charles Kimball, the first mayor of Mount Vernon, used this to his advantage. He was a jeweler and traveled North from Seattle when he discovered they had their share of jewelers. The first town he found without one was Mount Vernon. So there he settled.
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