Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 81% of U.S. towns · #49 of 140 in Iowa. What drives it
4 places in town are on the National Register. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1883 on, and the census since 1870.
The Monticello post office opened in 1847, the earliest record of the town by name.
More historic than 81% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Monticello is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #49 of 140 in Iowa. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.
Iowa towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Iowa town has 9.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Monticello’s 9.8 sits near the middle of its state (56% of Iowa towns have fewer) while its 4 listings outnumber those of 68% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Monticello’s history is told.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
1883Sheet 1 of 1Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Born hereCharles Henry Sloan is born here
BuiltS. S. Farwell House is built
In the archivePlans of Monticello, Manchester, Missouri Valley, Mount Ayr and Anamosa. (0018.077)
Born hereRoy Crabb is born here
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyWikipedia doesn’t have a history of Monticello yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Monticello is a city in Jones County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 4,040.
Its first post office opened in 1847. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 3,796 to 4,040 (+6%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Passages that mention Monticello, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The history of Lovell township begins with the year 1898, at which time the township formerly called Monticello township, was divided, that part within the incorporate limits of the town of Monticello was continued by the name of Monticello township, and that part of the former territory of Monticello township outside of the incorporate Hmits of the town, was called Lovell township. The history of Lovell township, being the history of Monticello township, will be treated under the history of that township.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
J. C. liA WREIVCE, farmer, Sec. 4 ; P. O. Monticello ; born in Pennsylvania in 1821 ; came to Jones Co. in 1855, from Ohio ; lived in Monticello Township about ten years, and lived in the village of Monticello nine months ; also lived on Bowen's Prairie for a time. While in Monticello, he was in mercantile business, and was Postmaster ; since he came to his present home, he has been engaged in farming. Is at present Justice of the Peace in his town, and has been such for a number of years ; was also in the same oflBce while in Monticello. Wife's maiden name was Hannah L. Coggins, a native of Pennsylvania also ; she was from Philadelphia ; they were married in 1841 ;
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The Monticello Express of November 15, 1867, contains the following reference to Daniel Varvel, the first settler in Monticello: "The first settler in Monticello was Daniel Varvel, a generous, whole-souled, rollicking Kentuckian of the old school, one of that class of men whose soul is as large as a meeting house, and whose hospitality is as boundless as the meanness of Andrew Johnson. He came to Dubuque in 1833 and after remaining there three years among the Indian squaws and pappooses, came to this point and built a log shanty within the limits of the present city of Monticello.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
In the winter of 1872-73, the bridge at Monticello was taken out by the ice, and a superstructure of iron was substituted by the Massillon Bridge Company, in the summer following. The iron bridge across the Wapsipinicon at Anamosa, was completed by the Ohio Bridge Company, during the same season.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
One decade in the archive so far: the 1870s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Monticello. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Monticello.
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Monticello’s page.
Retake this view · +15The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Grew from 1,337 people in 1870 to 4,040 in 2020, 3 times over.
16 censuses, 1870–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Monticello’s Wikipedia page.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Monticello’s post office has been open since 1847.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
The Monticello post office opened in 1847, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
Monticello is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #49 of 140 in Iowa. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
4 listings: 3 buildings and 1 structure.
20% of Monticello’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.5 points), against a typical 22% for an Iowa town; the median home was built in 1966.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (7), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (3), the National Register of Historic Places (4), Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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