Mount Vernon, New York

Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site is located in Mount Vernon, New York, not far from the New York City borough of The Bronx. The site was developed in 1978 to protect Saint Paul's Church from increasing development of the surrounding area. Saint Paul's Church is one of the oldest parishes in New York and was used as a military hospital after the American Revolutionary War. Around the church is the five-acre cemetery, also part of the historic site. It contains about 9,000 burials, from 1704. The parish that founded Saint Paul's Church was established in 1665. The first parish church was a small, square, wooden structure built in 1695 known as the Church of Eastchester. The existing church was built in 1764, and its name was changed to Saint Paul's Church in 1795. The parish stated to decline in the 20th century and the last Sunday service held at Saint Paul's was in May 1977. The historic site includes the church, the carriage house, cemetery and grounds.

897 S Columbus Ave, Mt Vernon, NY 10550, Phone: 914-667-4116

The foundation of Grace Baptist Church, was laid in the City of Mount Vernon, New York in 1888. Grace was built by “five Negro women” as the church history describes them. They organized a Baptist church mission dedicated to caring for the spiritual needs of the then small African American community of Mount Vernon, but also to their education as well. A Sunday School for people of all ages was established shortly after the Grace Baptist Mission was organized. With the help of the white congregation of the First Baptist Church of Mount Vernon, the Grace Baptist Mission bought a plot of land and built its first church in 1891. Two years later, they elected its first pastor, the Reverend J.L. Montague. A more permanent chapel was built in 1894. The newly constructed chapel could fit almost 400 people. Grace Baptist Church flourished through two World Wars, and the Great Depression. Unfortunately, on January 15, 1939 the small wood frame building was gutted by fire. By the summer of 1939 the congregation purchased the imposing, red brick structure of the former First Presbyterian Church, one of the largest church buildings in Westchester County. The church had a seating capacity of 900, a large kitchen and dining room. The Civil Rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King preached from its pulpit on 1959.

52 S 6th Ave, Mt Vernon, NY 10550, Phone: 914-664-2676

Established in 1935, the Pioneer Shooting Center in Mount Vernon is the oldest operating range in Westchester County, New York. The center has evolved into a full service shooting range that offers its services to a variety of shooters. Their 50-foot tactical range provides a wide variety of classes that educate shooters in all areas of firearms and firearm safety, from an Introduction to Handguns Class through advanced tactical pistol and shotgun courses. Pioneer is also one of the few ranges in the country that offer a reality-based force-on-force scenario-training. The center includes 9 Tactical Shooting Ports, 50-foot Climate-Controlled Range, State-Of-The-Art Filtration Ventilation System, eye and ear protection, shooters’ lounge, Live Action Tactical Shoothouse, and much more.

2 S 6th Ave, Mt Vernon, NY 10550, Phone: 914-667-8236

The Ice Cream Factory started as a Carvel® Franchise in 1954 in Mount Vernon, New York. In 1978, in order to provide a greater selection of flavors to their customers, the name was changed to the Ice Cream Factory. They grew fast, offering 50 gourmet flavors, 20 of the exotic Caribbean flavors such as Grapenutt, Jamaican Rum Raisin, Rum Raisin Grapenutt, as well as Soy Milk based and Sugar Free flavors. Their ice cream is now available all over East Coast and it is sold in restaurants and bakeries, especially those serving Caribbean cuisine. Their Mount Vernon shop is a popular spot in Colonial Plaza where locals go to get the taste of the islands.

408 E Sandford Blvd, Mt Vernon, NY 10550, Phone: 914-699-1349