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Monmouth
City
Patton Block Building in Monmouth
Patton Block Building in Monmouth
Nickname(s): 
The Maple City
Motto(s): 
Make it Monmouth!
Location of Monmouth in Warren County, Illinois.
Location of Monmouth in Warren County, Illinois.
Location of Illinois in the United States
Location of Illinois in the United States
Country United States
State Illinois
County Warren
Township Monmouth
Area
 • Total 4.26 sq mi (11.04 km2)
 • Land 4.24 sq mi (10.99 km2)
 • Water 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation
751 ft (229 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 8,902
 • Density 2,098.54/sq mi (810.31/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)
61462
Area code(s) 309
FIPS code 17-50010
GNIS feature ID 2395371
Wikimedia Commons Monmouth, Illinois

Monmouth is a city in Illinois, United States. It is the main city of Warren County. In 2020, about 8,902 people lived there.

Monmouth is known as the "Maple City." It is home to Monmouth College and several parks. The city also hosts the annual Prime Beef Festival, which starts with a big parade.

History of Monmouth

Monmouth was first settled around 1824. The town was officially started in 1831. Its founders almost named it Kosciusko, but they thought that name would be too hard to spell. A resident who used to live in Monmouth County, New Jersey, suggested the name 'Monmouth' instead.

In 1841, Joseph Smith, who started the Latter Day Saint movement, had a court hearing in Monmouth. He was accused of crimes in Missouri. The judge, Stephen A. Douglas, decided that Smith's arrest was not valid, and he was set free.

Many famous people have connections to Monmouth. Wyatt Earp, a well-known lawman from the American West, was born here. Ronald Reagan, who later became the 40th President of the United States, lived in Monmouth as a child.

Monmouth College and Sports

Monmouth College is a private college that opened in 1853. It was started by local Presbyterian churches. Today, it is the second-largest employer in the city. Two important women's college groups, Pi Beta Phi and Kappa Kappa Gamma, were founded at Monmouth College in 1867 and 1870.

Monmouth also had its own minor league baseball teams from 1890 to 1913. They were called the Monmouth Browns and the Monmouth Maple Cities.

For many years, the high school sports teams in Monmouth were called the Zippers. This nickname started in the 1930s because the basketball team was very fast, like a "zip." In 2004, Monmouth High School joined with Roseville High School. The new school, Monmouth-Roseville High School, changed its nickname to "The Titans."

Local Industry

Monmouth was once home to Western Stoneware. This company was famous for its pottery, especially pieces with a "Maple Leaf" design. They also made "Sleepy Eye" ceramics, which are collectible items. Western Stoneware closed in 2006. However, some former employees now run a new company called "WS, Incorporated" in the same building.

Geography and Climate

Monmouth is located in Western Illinois. Important roads like US Route 34 and US Route 67 cross paths here. The city covers about 4.26 square miles (11.04 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.

Weather in Monmouth

Monmouth has a climate with warm summers and cold winters. The hottest temperature ever recorded was 110°F (43°C) in July. The coldest was -27°F (-33°C) in February. The city gets a good amount of rain throughout the year, and some snow in winter.

Climate data for Monmouth, Illinois (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 69
(21)		 73
(23)		 88
(31)		 93
(34)		 102
(39)		 104
(40)		 110
(43)		 105
(41)		 103
(39)		 93
(34)		 82
(28)		 72
(22)		 110
(43)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 31.4
(−0.3)		 36.2
(2.3)		 49.7
(9.8)		 62.8
(17.1)		 72.9
(22.7)		 81.2
(27.3)		 84.1
(28.9)		 82.8
(28.2)		 77.3
(25.2)		 64.8
(18.2)		 49.2
(9.6)		 36.5
(2.5)		 60.7
(15.9)
Daily mean °F (°C) 23.1
(−4.9)		 27.5
(−2.5)		 39.4
(4.1)		 51.3
(10.7)		 61.9
(16.6)		 70.8
(21.6)		 73.8
(23.2)		 72.2
(22.3)		 65.4
(18.6)		 53.5
(11.9)		 39.9
(4.4)		 28.6
(−1.9)		 50.6
(10.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 14.7
(−9.6)		 18.7
(−7.4)		 29.1
(−1.6)		 39.7
(4.3)		 50.9
(10.5)		 60.3
(15.7)		 63.6
(17.6)		 61.5
(16.4)		 53.6
(12.0)		 42.2
(5.7)		 30.6
(−0.8)		 20.8
(−6.2)		 40.5
(4.7)
Record low °F (°C) −25
(−32)		 −27
(−33)		 −14
(−26)		 10
(−12)		 25
(−4)		 33
(1)		 43
(6)		 38
(3)		 18
(−8)		 7
(−14)		 −4
(−20)		 −22
(−30)		 −27
(−33)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.85
(47)		 1.98
(50)		 2.61
(66)		 3.95
(100)		 5.18
(132)		 4.53
(115)		 3.96
(101)		 3.92
(100)		 3.70
(94)		 3.01
(76)		 2.58
(66)		 2.15
(55)		 39.42
(1,001)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 8.7
(22)		 6.1
(15)		 3.3
(8.4)		 1.1
(2.8)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.2
(0.51)		 1.4
(3.6)		 4.8
(12)		 25.6
(65)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 7.0 6.6 8.1 9.9 11.8 9.6 8.3 8.4 6.9 7.9 7.3 6.7 98.5
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 3.7 3.4 1.3 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.9 2.9 12.5
Source: NOAA

Population of Monmouth

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1850 797 —
1860 2,506 214.4%
1870 4,662 86.0%
1880 5,000 7.3%
1890 5,936 18.7%
1900 7,460 25.7%
1910 9,128 22.4%
1920 8,116 −11.1%
1930 8,666 6.8%
1940 9,096 5.0%
1950 10,193 12.1%
1960 10,372 1.8%
1970 11,022 6.3%
1980 10,706 −2.9%
1990 9,489 −11.4%
2000 9,841 3.7%
2010 9,444 −4.0%
2020 8,902 −5.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 9,841 people living in Monmouth. This included 3,688 households and 2,323 families. About 29.6% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.37 people.

The population was made up of people of different ages:

  • 23.0% were under 18
  • 17.1% were 18 to 24
  • 24.1% were 25 to 44
  • 20.3% were 45 to 64
  • 15.5% were 65 or older

Transportation

Burlington Trailways offers bus service to Monmouth. You can travel from Indianapolis to Denver using this bus line.

Media

Monmouth has several radio stations and newspapers.

Radio Stations

  • WMOI-FM (97.7): Plays adult contemporary music.
  • WRAM-AM (1330)/FM (94.1): Features news, talk, and classic country music.
  • WPFS (105.9): This is Monmouth College's radio station, called "Proud Fighting Scots Radio."
  • WKAY-FM (105.3): Plays "Today's Refreshing Light Rock."
  • WAAG-FM (94.9): Known as "The Country Station."
  • WLSR-FM (92.7): Plays "Pure Rock The Laser."
  • WGIL-AM (1400/93.7 FM): Offers news, talk, and sports.

Newspapers

  • Daily Review Atlas
  • Penny Saver

Culture

Monmouth has several places where you can learn about history and art.

Museums and Galleries

  • The Warren County History Museum: Learn about the local history.
  • The Buchanan Center for the Arts: See art exhibits.
  • Holt House: A museum about the founding of Pi Beta Phi.
  • Stewart House: A museum about the founding of Kappa Kappa Gamma.

Notable People

This page is about individuals from Monmouth. For individuals who attended or work at Monmouth College, see Monmouth College#Notable alumni.

Many interesting people have lived in or are from Monmouth:

  • John Clayton Allen – A U.S. Congressman from Illinois.
  • George A. Beecher – A bishop.
  • Ken Blackman – A former NFL football player.
  • Clarence F. Buck – An Illinois state senator and newspaper editor.
  • Montgomery Case – A famous bridge builder.
  • Ellen Irene Diggs – An American anthropologist and author.
  • Charles Dryden – An early sportswriter.
  • Jug Earp – An NFL football player.
  • Wyatt Earp – A legendary lawman of the American West.
  • Loie Fuller – A pioneer of modern dance.
  • Gladys Gale – A singer and actress.
  • Ralph Greenleaf – A nineteen-time world pocket billiards champion.
  • Regis Groff – The second African American elected to the Colorado Senate.
  • J. P. Machado – A former NFL football player.
  • Mike Miller – A basketball coach.
  • Loren E. Murphy – A Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court and mayor of Monmouth.
  • Eleazer A. Paine – A Civil War general.
  • Ronald Reagan – The 40th President of the United States.
  • James Montgomery Rice – An Illinois Congressman who helped create the United States National Guard.
  • James H. Rupp – An Illinois state senator and mayor of Monmouth.
  • Lawrence H. Stice – An Illinois state representative.
  • John Twomey – A manualist (plays music with his hands).
  • J. Mayo Williams – A pro football player and music producer.

Images for kids

  • Warren County Courthouse in Monmouth

    Warren County Courthouse, located in the Monmouth Courthouse Commercial Historic District.

See also

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