Check out Mount Vernon's historic sites, places to go through photos in lohud on location

We are rivers, woods, mountains. Skyscrapers, sidewalks. Traffic. Solitude. A vibe. Cities, towns, villages, hamlets. Here, our photographers train their craft on what makes this place our place.

Check lohud.com every Friday to see where our photographer went for our newest lohud on location feature.

Tim Fountain, a drum instructor, directs the "Ice Cold Experience" drum-line as they prepare to lead the Mount Vernon High School Class of 2023 during graduation ceremonies June 23 at the high school. The drummers are made up of Mount Vernon students from various schools across the city.

Culinary instructor Samantha Cohen, second from left, works with students May 31 in the Intro to Culinary Arts class at Mount Vernon High School. The students, from left, Channell Johnson, Woodmya Pascal, Melonie Haywood and Jahmai James, were making guacamole. Cohen says, "Culinary is important because it teaches our kids life skills that they can use beyond just working in the hospitality area. They need skills to use in college, they use math skills, they learn customer service skills. They can really apply a lot of these skills to many aspects of their lives."

Capt. Faith Guevara, 7-year lifeguard; Gerhard Lenz, 3-year lifeguard, and Emily Salazar, second-year lifeguard, all with the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, chat June 23 in front of the aqua playground at Willson's Wave Pool in Mount Vernon. All four county-owned pools will be open daily through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; last entry is 6 p.m. Proof of Westchester County residency required; admission fees apply. Parking fees apply at The Brook at Tibbetts in Yonkers.

Iman Rozga from Mount Vernon cools down June 23 after running a 5K on the new track of The Stadium at Memorial Field on Garden Avenue in Mount Vernon. She was training to run in her first NYC Marathon. The community walk and jog on the track takes place from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. After decades of neglect the old stadium was torn down and replaced with this new state-of-the-art jewel. The project was a collaboration between Westchester County and the city of Mount Vernon. The new complex, which opened in September 2022, also includes a skate park and a tennis center.

Eighth-grade students in Maria Palanza-Billie's Living Environment class at the Graham Elementary School on East 5th Street work on a lab experiment May 30. From left are Jaden Singh, Jasmine McKenzie, teacher Maria Palanza-Billie, Heli Mante, Cian Clarke and Britany Sanchez. "They're learning skills on how to connect body systems to real world activities and also different scenarios that are related to biology but that also encompass everyday life," Palanza-Billie said. "So real world experiences, so it's mostly about making those connections."

Young people "let off some steam" after school May 31 at the Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon. About 100 kids ages 6 to13 take part in the Monday through Friday activities that also include doing homework, time for games in the game room and gym time with instructor Joseph Johnson. The institution has been active in the city for 111 years and on South 6th Avenue since 1957. Says CEO Mel Campos of the club, "They're important because they provide a safe place. They are important because we help young people become young adults and responsible caring citizens. The club saves lives."

Shawyn Patterson-Howard, the mayor of Mount Vernon, New York, is pictured in front of City Hall. On Nov. 5, 2019, Mayor Patterson-Howard was elected the first female mayor in the history of the City of Mount Vernon, and the first woman of color elected mayor in Westchester County. From the city's website, she is a MVHS alumnus and esteemed graduate of Howard University School of Social Work, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and Hunter College where she earned a Master's in Public Administration and Urban/Community Development.

The charismatic Rev. W. Franklyn Richardson, the senior pastor of the Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, leads a large congregation of the faithful. From the church's website, he is also Chairman of the Conference of National Black Churches, Chairman of the National Action Network, Chairman of Virginia Union University, and Board Member of Comcast and Pepsico. On the recent pandemic, he stated, "These are difficult days. I would say that God is doing a reset on the global village."

Lucino Mendez holds a cheese pizza pie May 30 at the Pizza King Restaurant at 34 Gramatan Avenue in Mount Vernon. The pizza shop, near city hall and the police department, has been a fixture in the neighborhood since 1975. Popular items include specialty pizzas and pastas.

A group of senior men play dominos May 30 at the Doles Center on South 6th Avenue in Mount Vernon. The community center, named for Reverend Shelton E. Doles, was dedicated June 18, 1979. It has been home to the senior citizens for about the last three years, after leaving the Armory on North 5th Avenue. About 45 to 75 seniors are provided with meals Monday through Friday with Bingo being played on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In addition, they also deliver about 125 meals to seniors at their homes.

About Mark Vergari: A lifelong Yonkers resident, Mark has been a staff photographer with The Journal News and its predecessors since graduating from Syracuse University in 1983. He has photographed everything in and around his Lower Hudson community from high school sports and parades to food and protests, and has covered three popes (twice at the Vatican), the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and national sporting events. Before the pandemic, when we all worked together in an “office” setting, Mark enjoyed baking cheesecakes and sharing them with his colleagues. Instagram: @markvergari

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Mount Vernon historic sites and places to visit: lohud on location