7Titles
Explore publications and collections from the past.
Community History Archive Partner
Monona Historical Society
Monona, Iowa
Explore this community history collection to discover the people, places, organizations, and events of Monona.
1892 to 2018Dates represented
See individual titles for available dates.
188,012Archive pages
Historical pages reported for this collection.
Explore local history
Discover the people, places, and stories of Monona, Iowa.
Explore the past of Monona, Iowa through newspapers in the Monona Historical Society's digital archive. Its seven titles include material from 1892 to 2018.
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Selected titles
The titles shared by Monona Historical Society include “Billboard” and “Tribune”.
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Free and open access
No subscription or payment required.
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A closer look
Newspaper pages connect individual accounts with a wider story, preserving how events were reported and presented to the readers of the day.
Reporting from the time can reveal how people described the events, work and concerns of their day, placing a local story within the history unfolding around it. Whether you are tracing a family connection, exploring a local event or sharing history with a class, there is more to discover than names and dates alone. Explore the archive online for free, without a subscription.
Explore the collection
Titles in this collection
Browse seven titles and 188,012 digitized pages, with material from 1892 to 2018. This collection is shared through Monona Historical Society's partnership with Advantage Archives. Some years or items may be missing between the dates shown.
Every search for the past starts with a question. Explore the titles below, follow the sources that speak to it, and see what new detail appears.
Billboard
51,898 pages from 1958 to 1996
Clayton County Register
32 pages in 1965
Monona Billboard
41,466 pages from 1980 to 2001
Monona Leader
66,526 pages from 1892 to 1971
Outlook
25,730 pages from 1995 to 2016
The Outlook
1,808 pages from 2017 to 2018
Tribune
552 pages from 2011 to 2012
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About the Society
About The Monona Historical Society
The Monona Historical Society was organized in 1967 by a group of dedicated individuals who felt the need to preserve the area's history and artifacts for future generations. The society received its first charter as a nonprofit organization in 1968 and was incorporated in 1970. Over the years, the society accumulated a significant collection of items until it acquired the home of Mrs. H. H. Smith on South Egbert Street in 1970. The Monona Historical Museum, housed in a Victorian-era house built around 1900, opened in 1971. The museum features rooms furnished from this period, along with an extensive collection of artwork by Monona residents, small farm equipment, kitchenware, war relics, and historical furniture and clothing. In 1980, the back porch was enclosed and expanded into an office area. In 1992, a 20 ft. x 20 ft. addition was created for the Elmer F. Marting Woodcarving display, known as "The World's Largest Known Display of Handcarved Chains." This space also serves as a connecting room to a larger addition completed in 2006. The Willa Helwig History Center, a 36 ft. x 80 ft. building, houses Monona memorabilia and research materials. The center is frequently visited by individuals researching family ties, reading old newspapers, and exploring the extensive local information folders.
About the Community
About Monona, Iowa
Monona, located in Clayton County, Iowa, is a town with a rich agricultural heritage and a strong sense of community. Established in the late 19th century, Monona has grown from a small farming settlement into a vibrant community known for its friendly atmosphere and active civic life. The town's history is closely linked to agriculture, with many farms in the area having been operated by the same families for generations. Monona's community spirit is evident in the numerous local events and festivals that celebrate the town's heritage and bring residents together. The town's well-preserved historical buildings and landmarks provide a glimpse into its past and reflect the pride of its residents.
More ways to explore and share local history
Research Guidance
Keep publication context with a finding
A family name, a familiar street or a story passed down through generations can lead to a closer look at the history of Monona. The digital archive shared by the Monona Historical Society offers a place to begin. When using historical newspapers, try alternate spellings and nearby dates, then read the surrounding page to place a local story in its time. Compare later reporting or another available title to explore different perspectives rather than treating one account as the whole story. Note the newspaper title, issue date, and page for a useful report. Compare another account where available, and keep differences in timing or perspective visible rather than blending them into a single version.
Save the newspaper title, issue date, and page, then compare another dated account where available. Keep differences in timing and perspective visible so the source context is not lost. If the accounts disagree, record what each source supports and use the difference to shape a further search rather than smoothing them into one version.
A research trail is most useful when it leaves room for what is not yet known. Record the title, date, and page or item reference where available, along with what remains uncertain and which question you want to follow next. Those details help keep a possible connection from becoming an unsupported conclusion.
Community Partnership
Keeping local history a community resource
This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of the Monona Historical Society, its community, and Advantage Archives. Together, these partnerships preserve local sources and give people a way to explore, learn from, and share the history around them.
Advantage Archives covers ongoing archive hosting, storage, development, and maintenance. The institution and its community do not pay a subscription, seat license, annual support contract, or other recurring archive-service charge. Local history remains a community resource, not a subscription to maintain.
Would you like to see more of your community's history preserved and accessible? Start a conversation with your library, newspaper publisher, historical or genealogical society, museum, or school about the materials they would like to share and a possible partnership with Advantage Archives.
Learn about partnerships
Stories, research tips, and archive news
Read All About It connects archive research with the people and institutions preserving local history. Explore partner and community stories, project updates, research ideas, and perspectives on digitization, education, and working with primary sources. Use the articles as a starting point for your next question or a new way to share a discovery.
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Why Microfilm is still important in 2023
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Don’t Search For An Obituary By Only Searching For An “Obituary”
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April 9, 2025
Unveiling the Hidden Mysteries: Exploring Cold Cases and Unconventional Clues
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April 1, 2025
This Week in History: March 31st through April 6th
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March 24, 2025
This Week in History: March 24th through March 30th
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March 18, 2025
It’s Your Community’s History, So Why Rent Something You Own?
We believe that history belongs to the communities where it was made - not locked behind paywalls or inaccessible due to budget restrictions. Subscription-based services and large content aggregators are generally more concerned with "content" and less concerned with the history that content contains. Their models typically involve a reoccurring charge for a plan that renews annually or licensing agreements with the library based on population served or circulation numbers. You are essentially Renting Access To YOUR History.
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