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A−History
History · Laona

Laona dates to 1899, and 28% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 84% of U.S. towns. What drives it

Its Register listings are the Camp Five Farmstead and the Connor Lumber and Land Company Store. Below: 9 old photos and papers and maps from 1972 on.

1899founded
2on the National Register
28%homes built before 1940
9old photos & papers
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Laona’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Laona began, and where its name came from

When was Laona founded?

1899

Laona dates its founding to 1899 (Wikipedia’s history). Its post office opened in 1900.

2020 census: 1,215127 years

How did Laona get its name?

Laona was named in honor of the daughter of a local businessman.

How historic is Laona?

A−

More historic than 84% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1900. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Laona’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Laona is more historic than 84% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Laona’s overall grade.
Founding era1899, from Wikipedia: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 194028.3% of homes (±6.4) · typical WI town 12.1% · U.S. 8.4%A−National Register2 listings, 113 historic buildings, 856 per 10,000 residents · typical WI town 3.0 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 84%
NewerOlder

Wisconsin towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Wisconsin town has 3.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Laona’s 856 sits above most of its state (100% of Wisconsin towns have fewer) while its 113 historic buildings outnumber those of 90% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.4 points). Two sources give 1899.

Founding year: Wikipedia (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 →

The story

How Laona came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Laona.

Read it all →

Laona was platted in 1899 when the railroad was extended to that point. It was named in honor of the daughter of a local businessman. A post office has been in operation in Laona since 1900.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Laona, 1899 to 1972

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1899
    FoundingLaona is established
  3. 20th century
  4. 1900Post officeThe Laona post office opens
  5. 1914BuiltCamp Five Farmstead is built
  6. 1933In the archiveVIEW TO EAST, NORTHWEST FRONT AND SOUTHWEST SIDE OF GARAGE - Laona Ranger Dwelling and Ga…
  7. 1942In the archivePhotograph of Hardwood Flooring Mill of the Connor Lumber Company at
  8. 1972On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Laona, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1930s to the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1930s8 items
VIEW TO EAST, NORTHWEST FRONT AND SOUTHWEST SIDE OF GARAGE - Laona Ranger Dwelling and Garage, Highway 8, Nicolet Natio…1933VIEW TO EAST, NORTHWEST FRONT AND SOUTHWEST SIDE OF G…VIEW TO NORTHEAST, SOUTHWEST REAR OF RANGER DWELLING - Laona Ranger Dwelling and Garage, Highway 8, Nicolet National Fo…1933VIEW TO NORTHEAST, SOUTHWEST REAR OF RANGER DWELLING …VIEW TO NORTHWEST, SOUTHEAST SIDE, VESTIBULE OF RANGER DWELLING - Laona Ranger Dwelling and Garage, Highway 8, Nicolet …1933VIEW TO NORTHWEST, SOUTHEAST SIDE, VESTIBULE OF RANGE…VIEW TO SOUTH, NORTHWEST FRONT AND NORTHEAST SIDE OF GARAGE - Laona Ranger Dwelling and Garage, Highway 8, Nicolet Nati…1933VIEW TO SOUTH, NORTHWEST FRONT AND NORTHEAST SIDE OF …VIEW TO SOUTHEAST, NORTHWEST FRONT OF GARAGE - Laona Ranger Dwelling and Garage, Highway 8, Nicolet National Forest, La…1933VIEW TO SOUTHEAST, NORTHWEST FRONT OF GARAGE - Laona …VIEW TO SOUTHEAST, NORTHWEST SIDE, END CHIMNEY OF RANGER DWELLING - Laona Ranger Dwelling and Garage, Highway 8, Nicole…1933VIEW TO SOUTHEAST, NORTHWEST SIDE, END CHIMNEY OF RAN…VIEW TO SOUTHWEST, NORTHEAST FRONT OF RANGER DWELLING - Laona Ranger Dwelling and Garage, Highway 8, Nicolet National F…1933VIEW TO SOUTHWEST, NORTHEAST FRONT OF RANGER DWELLING…VIEW TO WEST, NORTHEAST FRONT AND SOUTHEAST SIDE OF RANGER DWELLING - Laona Ranger Dwelling and Garage, Highway 8, Nico…1933VIEW TO WEST, NORTHEAST FRONT AND SOUTHEAST SIDE OF R…
1940s1 item
Photograph of Hardwood Flooring Mill of the Connor Lumber Company at1942Photograph of Hardwood Flooring Mill of the Connor Lu…
1950s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today14 recent
USDA Acting Deputy USEC Salerno visits Laona, Wisconsin, Highlighting Investments in Rural Wisconsin Communities (20241…2024USDA Acting Deputy USEC Salerno visits Laona, Wiscons…USDA Acting Deputy USEC Salerno visits Laona, Wisconsin, Highlighting Investments in Rural Wisconsin Communities (20241…2024USDA Acting Deputy USEC Salerno visits Laona, Wiscons…USDA Acting Deputy USEC Salerno visits Laona, Wisconsin, Highlighting Investments in Rural Wisconsin Communities (20241…2024USDA Acting Deputy USEC Salerno visits Laona, Wiscons…Connor Lumber and Land Co. Store, May 20202020Connor Lumber and Land Co. Store, May 202020190809 05 Laona & Northern -4 builders plate201920190809 05 Laona & Northern -4 builders plate20190809 03 Lumberjack Steam Train201920190809 03 Lumberjack Steam TrainCamp Five Farmstead2014Camp Five FarmsteadLaona Wisconsin Downtown Looking West US82013Laona Wisconsin Downtown Looking West US8Laona Wisconsin CDP Sign US82013Laona Wisconsin CDP Sign US8Laona Wisconsin CDP Municipal Building2013Laona Wisconsin CDP Municipal BuildingLaonaWisconsinPark2008LaonaWisconsinParkLaonaWisconsinDowntown1US82008LaonaWisconsinDowntown1US8World's Largest Soup Kettle2006World's Largest Soup KettleWIMap-doton-Laona2004WIMap-doton-Laona
On the map

Laona on the map, 1972 to 1991

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Laona. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Laona on the 1972 USGS mapLaona on the 1991 USGS map1972Laona sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Laona.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

VIEW TO EAST, NORTHWEST FRONT AND SOUTHWEST SIDE OF GARAGE - Laona Ranger Dwelling and Garage, Highway 8, Nicolet Natio…
Retake this viewVIEW TO EAST, NORTHWEST FRONT AND SOUTHWEST SIDE OF GARAGE - Laona Ranger Dwelling and Garage, Highway 8, Nicolet Natio…, 1933

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Laona’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

2 historic places in Laona

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
2
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
113
each building in a district counts
first listed
1996
Camp Five Farmstead
Camp Five Farmstead, built 1914Connor Lumber and Land Company Store
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements1
Camp Five FarmsteadLate 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements · Built 1914
All 2 listings
Connor Lumber and Land Company StoreBuilding · listed 2019

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

Famous people close to Laona

Nobody well known was born in Laona itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
A
Alexander H. SmithAmerican mycologist · b. 1904
Russ BauersAmerican baseball player · b. 1914
A
Armin LandeckAmerican printmaker and educator · b. 1905
Curt Berklundb. 1929
Help out

Finish Laona’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewVIEW TO EAST, NORTHWEST FRONT AND SOUTH…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

BlackwellIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townLincoln1 historic placeC+CaswellIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townWabeno2 historic placesB+Armstrong Creek2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townFreedomIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townArgonneIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Laona’s history

What year was Laona founded?

In 1899, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Laona’s post office opened in 1900.

How does Laona rank for history?

Laona is more historic than 84% of U.S. towns. 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.

What is on the National Register in Laona?

Two places: the Camp Five Farmstead (listed 1996) and the Connor Lumber and Land Company Store (2019).

How old are the homes in Laona?

28% of Laona’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.4 points), against a typical 12% for a Wisconsin town; the median home was built in 1976.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (23), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.