Mount Vernon Small Town Demonstration Site
The Mount Vernon Demonstration Center is ASPI’s primary campus for hands-on education, community workshops, and small-town sustainability demonstrations. Located in downtown Mount Vernon, it brings together energy, food systems, cultural preservation, and appropriate technology in one accessible place.
This site works as a living demonstration campus—visitors can see projects in practice and learn how they apply to small Appalachian communities. Visitors can explore renewable energy demonstrations, demonstration gardens, appropriate technology, an EV charging station, workshop, and meeting space, and cultural and traditional-knowledge programs tied to ASPI’s mission.
The Mount Vernon Demonstration Center includes indoor and outdoor demonstration areas, space for community education, and small-scale infrastructure projects. Many features support workshops and evolve over time as programs grow.
For over 45 years, Appalachia Science in the Public Interest has used this site to research, demonstrate, and share low-cost sustainable technologies and land stewardship practices. Programs and resources developed here serve communities across Appalachia, with a focus on reducing dependence on non-local food and energy systems.
Visit info
Open during scheduled events and programs. Group visits by request. Outdoor features may be best viewed in season; confirm before you travel.
Site features
- Electric vehicle charging
- Demonstration gardens
- Workshop space
- Appropriate technology
- Community programs
Features
Small town demonstration model
The Mount Vernon Demonstration Center shows how sustainability can work at the scale of a rural town. The site emphasizes realistic solutions for small communities—not abstract experiments disconnected from everyday life.
Ideas demonstrated here include:
- Reuse of existing buildings
- Low-cost improvements
- Practical technologies
- Small-scale food production
- Community-based learning
- Incremental change
Energy & Technology
The Mount Vernon site includes small-scale energy demonstrations suited to homes, community buildings, and small towns.
- Electric vehicle charging station
- Renewable energy demonstrations
- Energy efficiency improvements
- Low-cost building upgrades
- Appropriate technology examples
The EV charging station supports cleaner transportation while demonstrating practical infrastructure that rural communities can adopt. Environmental education programs designed to increase understanding of Appalachian forest ecosystems. Programming is available for a wide range of age groups.
Food Systems
The demonstration garden at Mount Vernon supports workshops, seasonal planting, and hands-on learning.
Examples include:
- Raised beds
- Composting demonstrations
- Soil health techniques
- Herbs and medicinal plants
- Small-scale food production
- Pollinator-friendly planting
These spaces anchor community education and seasonal programs. Self-guided exploration of forest and land management practices integrated throughout the site. Visitors can observe applied techniques in sustainable forestry and ecosystem stewardship.
Culture & community knowledge
The Mount Vernon Demonstration Center also supports cultural preservation and knowledge sharing alongside technical demonstrations.
Activities may include:
- Oral history documentation
- Traditional plant knowledge
- Community storytelling
- Regional culture workshops
- Service learning projects
This work connects sustainability with Appalachian cultural traditions.
Indoor learning & workshop space
The Mount Vernon building serves as a small community learning center.
Uses include:
- Workshops and training
- Small group meetings
- Educational displays
- Volunteer coordination
- Demonstration planning
Workshops & Events
Dairy Products on the Homestead
Seed Saving
SUMMARY This event is a part of the Homesteading Series. This series, hosted by ASPI…
Intuitive Plant Medicine Workshop
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Plan a Visit
Visits are available by appointment and during select open houses and programs. Contact ASPI to learn about upcoming opportunities to explore the site, attend a program, or connect with related sustainable living resources.