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CHistory
History · Monona

Monona dates to 1938, and 6 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 33% of U.S. towns · #274 of 362 in Wisconsin. What drives it

Most of Monona was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1963. Below: maps from 1890 on and the census since 1940.

1938founded
6on the National Register
7%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Monona began

When was Monona founded?

1938

Monona dates its founding to 1938 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1940.

First census: 1,323 in 19402020 census: 8,62488 years

How historic is Monona?

C

More historic than 33% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Monona’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Monona is more historic than 33% of U.S. towns, #274 of 362 in Wisconsin. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Monona’s overall grade.
Founding era1938, from Wikidata: founded 1900–1944, an older era than 9% of U.S. townsDHomes built before 19407.0% of homes (±2.1) · typical WI town 12.1% · U.S. 8.4%C+National Register6 listings, 7.0 per 10,000 residents · typical WI town 3.0 · U.S. 2.4B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 33%
NewerOlder
Wisconsin towns of 2,500+ (362)Ahead of 24%

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 Monona’s 7.0 sits above most of its state (70% of Wisconsin towns have fewer) while its 6 listings outnumber those of 72% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to B. The pre-1940 share (±2.1 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1938.

Founding year: Wikidata (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 →

What stands out about Monona’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Monona are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18906 editions of the USGS map, 1890 to 1983. Watch Monona change.Landmarks on the Register6 places on the National Register.Old housesHalf of Monona’s homes were built before 1963.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Monona’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Monona’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Monona on the map, 1890 to 1983

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

Monona on the 1890 USGS mapMonona on the 1904 USGS mapMonona on the 1959 USGS mapMonona on the 1969 USGS mapMonona on the 1974 USGS mapMonona on the 1983 USGS map1890Madison sheet · 1:62,500

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

On the National Register

6 historic places in Monona

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

places listed
6
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
6
each building in a district counts
first listed
2003
Outlet Mound
Outlet MoundTompkins-Brindler Mound GroupKohl's Food StoreRay S. and Theo P. Owen HouseSchroeder-Bohrod HouseWillard and Fern Tompkins House
BuildingsSites
Outlet MoundSite
All 6 listings
Tompkins-Brindler Mound GroupSite · listed 2003Kohl's Food StoreBuilding · listed 2022Ray S. and Theo P. Owen HouseBuilding · listed 2022Schroeder-Bohrod HouseBuilding · listed 2023Willard and Fern Tompkins HouseBuilding · listed 2023

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

The story

How Monona came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Monona.

Read it all →

Originally part of the Town of Blooming Grove, Monona was incorporated as a village on August 29, 1938. Prior to 1938, the area mainly consisted of farmland and summer homes. However, by 1938, permanent homes and small businesses had become much more common in the area. During the 1950s, Monona grew in population from 2,544 to 8,178.

In 1963, Monona built a community center and adjacent swimming pool. In 1967, a public library was built. In 1969, when Monona was incorporated as a city, a city hall was built across from the library. It houses all city operations, including the fire and police departments.

ChaptersIndian mounds

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Monona in 1877

Passages that mention Monona, cut from the printed page as they were published.

Grove Comers to the city of Madison is truly lovely and enjoyable; for a greater part of the distance there is a full view of the city and the beautiful lakes Waubesa, Monona and Mendota, with their bays and streamlets, and the Catfish river, with its many windings through natural meadows. The road…
Madison, Dane County and surrounding towns1877 · page 282Read the page →
Read the text

Grove Comers to the city of Madison is truly lovely and enjoyable; for a greater part of the distance there is a full view of the city and the beautiful lakes Waubesa, Monona and Mendota, with their bays and streamlets, and the Catfish river, with its many windings through natural meadows. The road leads for about two miles along the shore of Monona, where a lovely white sand beach affords facilities for good

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.

By decade

Monona, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Yahara River2013Yahara RiverMonona Civil Defense Siren2013Monona Civil Defense SirenMonona City Hall2013Monona City HallMonona Tower 22009Monona Tower 2Monona Tower 12009Monona Tower 1WIMap-doton-Monona2004WIMap-doton-Monona
People over time

Monona, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00019401960198020002020Peak: 10,420

Between 1,323 and 10,420 people in every census since 1940.

9 censuses, 1940–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Monona’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

Famous people close to Monona

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

See all →
John BardeenAmerican physicist and engineer · b. 1908
Thornton WilderAmerican playwright and novelist · b. 1897
Gena RowlandsAmerican actress · b. 1930
William P. MurphyAmerican scientist · b. 1892
C
Chris FarleyAmerican actor and comedian · b. 1964
E
Eric HeidenAmerican speed skater · b. 1958
Places that used to be

Old corners and burying grounds

Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Tonyawatha
1cemetery inside Monona
Roselawn Memorial Park

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Madison143 historic placesABlooming GroveIts storyC+

Questions about Monona’s history

What year was Monona founded?

In 1938, according to Wikidata. the census of 1940 counted 1,323 people here.

How does Monona rank for history?

Monona is more historic than 33% of U.S. towns, #274 of 362 in Wisconsin. 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 Monona?

6 listings: 4 buildings and 2 sites.

How old are the homes in Monona?

7% of Monona’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.1 points), against a typical 12% for a Wisconsin town; the median home was built in 1963.

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 (6), the National Register of Historic Places (6), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the USGS Geographic Names Information System 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.