The History of Morgan County and Monrovia, Indiana
Morgan County was organized on January 2, 1822, and named for Revolutionary War hero General Daniel Morgan. Martinsville was selected as the county seat.
Monrovia was platted in 1834 but didn’t become incorporated until 1995. Located in the northern portion of Morgan County near I-70, Monrovia has maintained a small-town charm while steadily growing as Hoosiers seek a quieter lifestyle within commuting distance of Indianapolis.
As of the 2024 census, Monrovia’s population is 2,322, making it the fourth-largest incorporated town/city in Morgan County behind Martinsville (11,952), Mooresville (10,027), and Brooklyn (2,595). It is the 201st-largest city in Indiana.
Things to Do In or Near Monrovia, Indiana
If you’re looking for farm fresh products, Henderson Farm Store is open Tuesday thru Friday from 4–7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.–12 p.m. Their steaks, roasts, and ground beef are from cattle raised on Henderson land and local Indiana farms, plus they’ve got pasture-raised pork, fresh eggs, dairy, and more available.
Full Circle Sports is a full service complex that provides lessons in hitting, pitching, catching, defense, speed, agility, and conditioning for ballplayers.
If you’re visiting in September, catch the annual Monrovia Festival set for Sept. 11–13, 2026. It begins with the Alma Smock Memorial Art show opening, vendors, and entertainment on Friday, followed by Cow Patty Bingo, a kiddie tractor pull, petting zoo, and food vendors on Saturday, and parade and vendors on Sunday.
Places to Eat and Shop in Monrovia, Indiana
Your morning in Monrovia begins at Farm House Brew. They’ve got coffee, tea, smoothies, cider, and hot chocolate, locally sourced bakery items including scones, cupcakes, cookies, and muffins, plus favorites like biscuits and gravy and cinnamon rolls. They’ve got 4.8 stars on Google with many reviews raving about their breakfast sandwiches and atmosphere. We tried the breakfast sandwich on bagels with cream cheese and they lived up to the hype.
Monrovia Family Restaurant is next on the list serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with locals loving the corned beef hash, tenderloin, ranchero skillet, loaded French toast, and Texas fajitas. They have 4.5 stars among nearly 250 Google reviews.
Main Street Grill has two locations, one in Mooresville and the other in Monrovia. It has racked up over 550 Google reviews and 4.3 stars, with many giving their approval to Indiana’s staple – the tenderloin sandwich. It’s also the spot to grab a drink and catch the game. Plus, on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday, order a custom-made pizza or one of their signature options like cheeseburger, chicken alfredo, or BBQ chicken.
Sticking with pizza, Dawg House Pizza is a dinner-only option for ‘za Monday thru Saturday. They’ve been serving delicious pizza and breadsticks in the area since 2001.
Monrovia Fame
Legendary basketball coach Emmett “Branch” McCracken was born in Monrovia in 1908 and won county championships for the Monrovia High School basketball team in 1925 and ‘26. Nicknamed the “Big Bear” because of his 6-foot-4 size and tendency to scowl, the ferocious competitor earned three letters playing for Indiana University from 1928–30, was Big Ten MVP in 1928, led the Hoosiers in scoring all three seasons, and was a consensus All-American in 1930. He became head coach at Ball State University from 1930–38 and IU from 1938–65 (excluding ‘44 and ‘45), where he won NCAA titles in 1940 and ‘53, and compiled a win-loss record of 450-231 in 32 seasons overall. McCracken was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1960.
On the gridiron, Monrovia High School graduate John Standeford made a name for himself as one of the best wide receivers in Big Ten history. He finished his collegiate career (2000-03) with the Purdue Boilermakers as the all-time Big Ten leader with 266 receptions and 3,788 receiving yards, marks that have since been broken. As a junior, Standeford was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, presented to the nation’s most outstanding receiver. As a pro, he caught 16 passes in two seasons for the Detroit Lions.
Monrovia High School
The mascot for Monrovia High School is the Bulldogs, and they’ve won one IHSAA state championship in school history.
The state title came in the fall of 2015, when Monrovia defeated Whiting 33-6 in the 2A football championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
They were also 2A runner-ups in 2009, falling 24-17 to Fort Wayne Bishop Luers.
That’s it for small town breakdown No. 54. Where should we head next?
