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Iowa State...
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Iowa Counties
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Iowa Counties
There are 99 counties in Iowa. The first two counties, Des Moines County and Dubuque County,
were created in 1834 when Iowa was still part of the Michigan Territory. In preparation for Michigan's
statehood, part of Michigan Territory was formed into Wisconsin Territory in 1836]. Two years later, the western
portion was split off to become Iowa Territory. The south-eastern part of Iowa Territory became Iowa, the 29th
state in the union, on 28 December 1846, by which point 44 counties had been created. Counties continued to be
created by the state government until 1857, when the last county, Humboldt County, was created.
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Monona County, Iowa
Monona County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Onawa
Year Organized: 1851
Square Miles: 693 |
Court House: 610 Iowa Avenue
County Courthouse
Onawa, IA 51040-1626
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Etymology - Origin of County Name
Monona is named for a word of uncertain Native American meaning.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick
Facts
History
The name of Monona County (701 square
miles) is believed to be of Indian origin, but its exact meaning is not known.
The word may mean "Peaceful Valley" or "Beautiful Valley." Monona was also said
to be the name of an Indian maiden who committed suicide by jumping from a high
cliff into the Mississippi River in the belief that her own tribesmen had killed
her white lover. Some authorities suggest that the county was named for Monona,
a town in Clayton County, at the suggestion of Eliphalet Price, representative
from Clayton County in the Third General Assembly.
The county was established in 1851. The county's business was first transacted
at the Mormon village called Preparation, in Spring Valley Township, where some
of the first settlements were made. When Ashton (originally called Bloomfield)
was named the county seat in the fall of 1854, a log house served as the first
courthouse. Ashton remained the county seat for only four years.
Following an election, county records were removed to Onawa, where a frame
courthouse was built during the summer of 1858, at a cost of about $7,000.
Attempts were made from 1861 until 1889 to remove the county seat to Belvidere,
Arcola, and East Mapleton, but each contest in its turn ended in favor of Onawa.
A courthouse was built in 1891-1892 by S.E. Maxon and Company of Omaha. This
brick Romanesque building, with gabled roof surmounted by a tower, is located on
the same site as the previous courthouse. A one-story addition was built on the
West side of the courthouse in 1967, and another on the East side in 1973.
The old jail was condemned, and Monona County joined with the City of Onawa to
construct a law enforcement center, including jail facilities, which was
completed in September 1974.
An annex to the courthouse was built in 1980 and dedicated in 1981. This annex
was built for court facilities. The original judge's bench, furniture, and
fixtures were restored and are being used in the new courtroom.
An annex to the courthouse was built in 1980 and dedicated in 1981. This annex
was built for court facilities. The original judge's bench, furniture, and
fixtures were restored and are being used in the new courtroom. Also an entire
third floor of the building was built and now houses the Department of Human
Services. And finally, the basement annex was remodeled to house the county
health nurses and the magistrate court.
Sources:
County Recorder Harriet Gray for the county history book commissioned by the
Monona County Historical society and published in 1982.
Benita J. Davis, Monona County Auditor, 2002
Neighboring Counties:
- North: Woodbury County
- Northeast: Ida County
- East: Crawford County
- Southeast: Harrison County
- Southwest: Burt County, Neb.
- West: Thurston County, Neb.
Cities and Towns:
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- Blencoe |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Castana |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Mapleton |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Moorhead |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Onawa
(County Seat) |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Rodney |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Soldier |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Turin |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Ute |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Whiting |
city |
Incorporated Area |
County Resources:
Enter County Resources and Information Here
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County Resource Guide
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The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic
features of our country!"
But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.
Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally,
act locally." |
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