Monticello, Indiana
Monticello is a city of 5,496 people in White County, Indiana, founded in 1834.
Why visit Monticello
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 11 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Lake Shore Drive-In, Indiana Beach, James Culbertson Reynolds House and Monticello Carnegie Library.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 19°F.
Weather in Monticello
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Monticello
Monticello is a city in and the county seat of White County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,508 at the 2020 census. Monticello is known as a tourist destination in north-central Indiana and is home to the Indiana Beach amusement park on Lake Shafer, and Lake Freeman.
From the Wikipedia article Monticello, Indiana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks5
James Culbertson Reynolds House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic house in Monticello, Indiana, United States
Monticello Carnegie Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic Carnegie Library building in Monticello, Indiana, United States
South Grade School Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
School building in Indiana, United States of America
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White County Asylum
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Building in Indiana, United States
White County Historical Society
Museum · 0.4 mi
101 South Bluff Street
We-Fr 10:00-16:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes11
Greens and Beans
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.8 mi
602 West Fisher Street, Monticello
Mo-Fr 07:30-17:00, Sa 09:00-14:00
Cazadores Mexican restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican
111 North Main Street, Monticello
History
Monticello was laid out in 1834 as the county seat, with a post office established that year, and is still currently in operation. The city was named after President Thomas Jefferson's estate in Virginia. In 1853, Monticello was officially incorporated as a town.
Monticello, Indiana sustained serious damage by a tornado on April 3, 1974, part of the 1974 Super Outbreak that caused death and destruction across the midwest and south. The aftermath of this storm is recorded in the Herald Journal's book, Killer Tornado. The tornado was rated F4 on the Fujita scale. This storm killed eight people and was part of tornado family that killed 18, causing an estimated $100 million in damage. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, news outlets reported three hundred deaths across the United States and the creation of temporary morgues. The local paper said the aftermath was similar to a World War II bombing.
From the History section of Monticello, Indiana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship3
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare1
Map of Monticello
43 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 19°F | 2.6 in | 5.8 in |
| Feb | 39°F | 22°F | 1.8 in | 3.5 in |
| Mar | 51°F | 31°F | 2.8 in | 2.5 in |
| Apr | 64°F | 41°F | 3.8 in | 0.2 in |
| May | 74°F | 52°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 60°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 63°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 61°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 54°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 44°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 51°F | 34°F | 2.9 in | 0.5 in |
| Dec | 39°F | 24°F | 2.3 in | 4.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Delphi 2 N Hcn (10 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
White County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-08-15: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2023-04-15: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-03: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-05-04: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Purdue University Airport (LAF) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 25 miles away.
- Monon 10 mi northwest, about 16 min by car
- Delphi 12 mi southeast, about 20 min by car
- Battle Ground 17 mi south, about 27 min by car
- West Lafayette 22 mi south, about 36 min by car
- Logansport 22 mi east, about 35 min by car
- Lafayette 24 mi south, about 39 min by car
- Dayton 26 mi south, about 41 min by car
- Grissom AFB 33 mi east, about 53 min by car
- Frankfort 34 mi south, about 55 min by car
- Kokomo 39 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Monticello Carnegie Library, Nyttend, Public domain
- White County Courthouse in Monticello, Nyttend, Public domain
- Thomas W. O'Conner House, Monticello, Nyttend, Public domain
- Greetings from Freeman Lake, Monticello, Indiana - Large Letter Postcard (5625789260), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- White County Asylum near Monticello, Nyttend, Public domain
- James Culbertson Reynolds House, Nyttend, Public domain
- South Grade School Building, Nyttend, Public domain
- Tippecanoe River P4180083, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Details PB050056 Tippicanoe River, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Roadway PB050058 Tippicanoe River, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wrought Iron PB050060 Tippicanoe River, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tioga Rd Bridge P4190118, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tioga Rd Bridge P4180083, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tioga Rd Bridge P4180084, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tioga Road PB050054 Tippicanoe River, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tippecanoe River P4180084, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Truss PB050057 Tippicanoe River, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wrought Iron PB050059 Tippicanoe River, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Capt Bill Luse Bridge -Tippecanoe River P4190117, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Capt Bill Luse Bridge PB050053 US 421 Tippecanoe River, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Capt Bill Luse Bridge -Tippecanoe River - flood, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Capt Bill Luse Bridge P4190120, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
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