After the American Civil War, more settlers began moving into the area, and in 1880, they applied for a post office as Eagle Flat.

[5][6] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.1 sq mi (21.0 km2), of which 0.12% is covered by water.

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

The nearby Waggoner Ranch holds the distinction of being the largest spread in Texas under one fence.

According to the wishes of E. Paul Waggoner, Poco Bueno is buried in a standing position on the corner at the main entrance to the ranch.

A barbecue lunch and T-shirts are available for sale, and a king and queen are crowned at the annual event.

One of the shirts for 2017 featured a design by Harold Dow Bugbee, the late curator of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas, which depicts Texas Longhorns and a cowboy crossing the Red River at Doan's Crossing, where the postmaster Corwin F. Doan (1848–1929) also operated a store to supply the cowboys.

The Lions have finished as semifinalists in 2003 and 2006, and were ranked in top 10 for the 2007 season, when they lost in a close game in the state quarterfinals to Snyder.

The overall record of Vernon High School football is 595-363-38 (a winning percentage of 62.27%) Vernon High School's first team state championship came in the 1984–1985 season as the Lady Lions won the 3A girls basketball state title.

The area is also served by a BNSF rail freight line bypassing downtown from Fort Worth to Amarillo.

On April 10, 1979, Vernon and surrounding Wilbarger County were struck by an F4 tornado, a part of a large storm in the Red River Valley.

That same day, tornadoes also devastated the larger nearby cities of Wichita Falls and Lawton.