Welcome to Monona, Iowa!
~~ In 1931, the state of Iowa named Monona as its first-ever "Garden City of Iowa" ~~
Located in the heart of the Driftless Area in northeast Iowa with its enchanting ever-changing seasons, you'll find the "Gardens of Monona" full of beauty, tranquility, and community pride. Walk along the streets and take a peek at the gardens and wooded trails beyond. Admire the beautiful front yards and porches with friendly and neighborly residents offering smiles and waves to welcome strangers and friends.
Monona has a lovely community Butterfly Gardens & Trail just waiting for you to meander down its path to take in the beauty of nature at its best. Picnic in the lush garden area deep in woods, but literally located right in town. Listen to the laughter of families enjoying the Family Aquatic Center just across the street. We're extremely proud of our local military veterans and encourage you to visit our Veteran's Memorial at Gateway Park & Campgrounds, naming all local veterans who fought in the Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf, Iraq, Afghanistan, on up to our modern-day military veterans.
The Monona business community welcomes you to enter its doors to experience northeast Iowa shopping at its best. Monona has a wide array of restaurants / bars, commercial services, and retail shopping, some of which are popular destinations by locals, as well as by our visitors from around the county, state, and beyond. Discover unique treasures and American history at Monona Historical Museum about our town's settlement on this site a year after the U. S. government opened up "Westward Expansion" a year after the 1832 Blackhawk War was over. The site of Monona resides where two United State "military highways" were built heading west up the valleys through the bluffs of the Mississippi River, intersecting about 12 miles later at Monona. Today, those military highways have been renamed County Road B-45 (at Monona's eastern boundary) and U. S. Highway 18/52 (at Monona's southern boundary).
Simply spending an afternoon relaxing in one of the beautiful city parks will put you right in the middle of nature . . . while being in the center of town! Enjoy Monona's City Park which also includes two shelter houses, charcoal grills, picnic tables, Iowa's first all-inclusive playground equipment, basketball court and more. In the winter time, City Park's basketball court is transformed into a community ice skating rink. Whether you are visiting, moving in, or opening a business, you and your family are always welcome here in Monona!
Monona has a lovely community Butterfly Gardens & Trail just waiting for you to meander down its path to take in the beauty of nature at its best. Picnic in the lush garden area deep in woods, but literally located right in town. Listen to the laughter of families enjoying the Family Aquatic Center just across the street. We're extremely proud of our local military veterans and encourage you to visit our Veteran's Memorial at Gateway Park & Campgrounds, naming all local veterans who fought in the Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf, Iraq, Afghanistan, on up to our modern-day military veterans.
The Monona business community welcomes you to enter its doors to experience northeast Iowa shopping at its best. Monona has a wide array of restaurants / bars, commercial services, and retail shopping, some of which are popular destinations by locals, as well as by our visitors from around the county, state, and beyond. Discover unique treasures and American history at Monona Historical Museum about our town's settlement on this site a year after the U. S. government opened up "Westward Expansion" a year after the 1832 Blackhawk War was over. The site of Monona resides where two United State "military highways" were built heading west up the valleys through the bluffs of the Mississippi River, intersecting about 12 miles later at Monona. Today, those military highways have been renamed County Road B-45 (at Monona's eastern boundary) and U. S. Highway 18/52 (at Monona's southern boundary).
Simply spending an afternoon relaxing in one of the beautiful city parks will put you right in the middle of nature . . . while being in the center of town! Enjoy Monona's City Park which also includes two shelter houses, charcoal grills, picnic tables, Iowa's first all-inclusive playground equipment, basketball court and more. In the winter time, City Park's basketball court is transformed into a community ice skating rink. Whether you are visiting, moving in, or opening a business, you and your family are always welcome here in Monona!
Picture Yourself in Monona, Iowa
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Looking for a memorable "selfie" location? You'll find one of many around Monona at its Gateway Park located just inside the southern entrance to town off of Highway 18/52. Monona's Veteran's Memorial honors by name all Monona-area veterans from as far back as the Civil War to present day. So take your "selfie" with one or all of the life-sized statues representing the five branches of our armed forces. Three flags in the background proudly fly 24/7 in support of the USA, State of Iowa, and Prisoners of War (POW). In the far background of your "selfie" be sure to capture Monona's scenic rolling hills, valleys, and river country of the Driftless Area region, where Monona -- which boasts the highest point in Clayton County -- sits atop four watersheds draining into Yellow River, Bloody Run, and Turkey River, all which run east / southeast to drain into Mississippi River, located a short drive east of Monona on Highway 18/52.
To learn more about boundless recreational activities in our Driftless Area and "Gateway to the Yellow River", please contact Monona Chamber & Economic Development, Inc. |
A small portion of the northeast tip of Iowa -- which includes the town of Monona and the rest of the MFL MarMac School District area -- is located within the Driftless Area where Karst topography is found throughout and characterized by: caves and cave systems, disappearing streams, blind valleys, underground streams, sinkholes, springs and cold streams. Disappearing streams occur where surface waters sinks down into the earth through fractured bedrock or a sinkhole, either joining an aquifer, or becoming an underground stream.
Blind valleys are formed by disappearing streams and lack an outlet to any other stream. Sinkholes are the result of the collapse of the roof of a cave, and surface water can flow directly into them. Disappearing streams can re-emerge as large cold springs. Cold streams with cold springs as their sources are noted as superb trout habitat worldwide.
We residents are fortunate to be located in the heart of Iowa's Driftless Area as it offers plenty of outdoor recreational activities right outside our door like trout fishing in cold water streams, hiking on wooded trails and bluffs, biking on the Mississippi River Trail (MRT), discovering Indian burial mounds in nearby state and national parks, motorcycling through designated scenic byways and Great River Road, boating, swimming, water skiing, canoeing & kyaking, birding, camping, hunting, off-roading, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, ice skating, etc.
It's no wonder outside people want to live here, some deciding after just a visit or two to find a vacation, retirement or permanent home in the area. Please come and visit us in Monona, Iowa and stay for a life time. Find your dream home, great schools and a friendly, clean and safe community that'll exceed all of your expectations year-round.
Blind valleys are formed by disappearing streams and lack an outlet to any other stream. Sinkholes are the result of the collapse of the roof of a cave, and surface water can flow directly into them. Disappearing streams can re-emerge as large cold springs. Cold streams with cold springs as their sources are noted as superb trout habitat worldwide.
We residents are fortunate to be located in the heart of Iowa's Driftless Area as it offers plenty of outdoor recreational activities right outside our door like trout fishing in cold water streams, hiking on wooded trails and bluffs, biking on the Mississippi River Trail (MRT), discovering Indian burial mounds in nearby state and national parks, motorcycling through designated scenic byways and Great River Road, boating, swimming, water skiing, canoeing & kyaking, birding, camping, hunting, off-roading, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, ice skating, etc.
It's no wonder outside people want to live here, some deciding after just a visit or two to find a vacation, retirement or permanent home in the area. Please come and visit us in Monona, Iowa and stay for a life time. Find your dream home, great schools and a friendly, clean and safe community that'll exceed all of your expectations year-round.
Visit our gallery below for a hint of great times & community pride: (click on auto all-play button or use manual arrows)
