S. S. Farwell House

Built in 1867 (Colonial Revival architecture). Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

From the record

“Farwell House is a historic building located in Monticello, Iowa, United States. Farwell was an Ohio native who settled in Iowa in 1852, and spent of couple years in the late 1850s in Missouri before returning to the Monticello area.”
Wikipedia article S.S. Farwell House, CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 27 National Register listings published here for Jones County · listed in 1979 · category: Building · built in 1867, Colonial Revival architecture.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
Listed as. Farwell, S. S., House - the National Register files a house under its owner's surname.
Address. 301 N. Chestnut St., Monticello, 52310
When was it listed? April 1979
Category. building
Township. Lovell township
When was it built? 1867
Architectural style. Colonial Revival architecture, Italianate architecture
National Register reference number. 79000909 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

Fires near this property

10 since 2008

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 10 fires within 5 miles of S. S. Farwell House between 2008 and 2013, burning about 27 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause	Fires
Debris and open burning	6
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	3
Equipment and vehicle use	1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
23 July 2012	Debris and open burning	under an acre	Iowa Department of Natural Resources	not named
17 July 2012	Debris and open burning	20 acres	Iowa Department of Natural Resources	not named
29 April 2008	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	1.0 acres	Iowa Department of Natural Resources	not named
17 April 2010	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	1.0 acres	Iowa Department of Natural Resources	14221 RICHLAND RD., MONTICELLO, IOWA
17 March 2010	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	1.0 acres	Iowa Department of Natural Resources	15688 ROCK RD., MONTICELLO, IOWA
16 March 2012	Debris and open burning	1.0 acres	Iowa Department of Natural Resources	not named
13 March 2012	Debris and open burning	1.0 acres	Iowa Department of Natural Resources	not named
3 November 2013	Debris and open burning	1.0 acres	Iowa Department of Natural Resources	not named

Every fire recorded in Jones County

Mines and quarries near this property

7 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 7 workings within 5 miles of S. S. Farwell House: 4 past producers, 3 producers. 3 still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Site	Commodity	Status
Clement Sand Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer
Monticello Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Past Producer
Behrends Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Producer
Lang Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Past Producer
Matternach Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Producer
Unknown	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Past Producer
Unknown	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Past Producer

Every working recorded in Jones County

Storms near this property

60 of 81 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Monticello, the town this property stands in, in 81 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 48 thunderstorm wind, 17 hail, 7 flash flood, 4 tornado. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
July 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	1 hurt, $240,000	no account filed
July 2010	Flood	Monticello	$15,000,000	Along the Maquoketa River, about 50 homes and 20 businesses in Monticello were flooded due to record flooding. A printing company was flooded for the second time in 11 months, this time even worse than the last. Even with advance preparations, the company sustained losses estimated at $850,000. Similarly, a building company sustained $200,000 after 4 feet of water inundated their facilities. The local paper reported that the CEO of the company knew there was a possibility of flooding, but not 4 feet of water.\|\|The county fairgrounds were also heavily impacted by the floods, putting a damper on the ongoing fair events that typically see more than 250,000 visitors. East of Monticello, the historic Corbett's Mill bridge washed away in the record flood and still had not been found several days after the river crested. \|\|Although the Lake Delhi dam failure was upstream of Monticello (and other flooded Jones County communities), the bulk of the flood damage can be attributed to the record flooding of the river itself rather than the dam failure because of the relatively slow progression of the breach and the timing of the flood crest.
July 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$1,500,000	no account filed
July 2016	Flash Flood	Monticello	$1,000,000	The emergency manager reported water up to 1.5 feet in depth on the outdoor track at the fairgrounds.
July 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$1,000,000	Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph destroyed the JumboTron and sound system at the Jones County Fair in Monticello, IA at 1000 pm CDT July 22. In addition, some vendor tents were blown down and an awning on the Jones County Mobile EM Unit was destroyed.
August 2009	Flash Flood	Monticello	$500,000	Heavy rains resulted in flash flooding across parts of Jones County on August 27. Some areas particularly hard hit were Anamosa, Monticello, and Center Junction. Several roads were closed due to the flood waters. Highway 151 was closed between Anamosa and Monticello due to flooding of Kitty Creek. Buffalo Creek flooded out of its banks flooding low lying areas. Bear Creek flooded 140th Avenue and Madison Road near Center Junction. The flood waters were 1.5 feet deep.
April 2013	Flash Flood	Monticello	$250,000	Several rounds of heavy rains resulted in flash flooding across much of Jones County from the evening of April 17 through the early morning of April 18.
July 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$50,000	Wind gusts estimated to be 65 mph blew down a tree onto a house in Monticello, IA at 950 pm CDT July 22. Power lines and branches were also blown down across much of the town.
September 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$50,000	Wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph snapped some large trees off at the base in a mobile home park about 1 mile north of Monticello, IA around 155 pm CDT September 21. Some of the trees fell onto some cars.
July 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$50,000	2 to 3 inch limbs down
July 2003	Hail	Monticello	$50,000	no account filed
June 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$25,000	Wind gusts estimated to be 75 mph snapped a power pole in half about 2 miles north of Monticello, IA around 800 am June 19. In addition, numerous area trees were damaged and several tree limbs were blown down.
July 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$25,000	Numerous trees down with one on a mobile home that temporarily trapped a woman inside. The woman was not injured.
April 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$15,000	Winds estimated to be 60 mph blew a power pole over slightly and downed some power lines. Time estimated.
July 2003	Hail	Monticello	$10,000	no account filed
September 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$5,000	Wind gusts estimated to be 65 mph blew a power pole and large tree down in Monticello, IA around 155 pm CDT September 21.
July 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$5,000	no account filed
July 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$5,000	no account filed
April 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$2,000	Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph caused a horse trailer to flip over on Highway 38 near Sam Springs or about 5 miles southeast of Hopkinton, IA around 1027 pm April 5.
July 1995	Tornado (F0)	Monticello	$2,000	no account filed
July 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$1,500	large section of a tree down at the corner of Maple & Second streets.
August 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	$1,000	no account filed
May 2014	Hail	Monticello	$500	Golf ball sized hail fell in Monticello, IA at 532 pm CDT May 20. The hail broke the windshield of a squad car.
July 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Widespread tree damage in town that extended northward along Highway 38 to near Sand Springs in Delaware County.
July 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	A public report of larger than 3 inch diameter tree branches down by thunderstorm winds.
July 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Several trees and large branches downed by the wind.
July 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Several trees downed throughout town.
July 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Corn field flattened by thunderstorm winds.
June 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Widespread wind damage over the county, with trees blown down and a roof off a shed in Olin.
August 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Broadcast Media reported that a large tree branch was snapped. The time of the event was estimated using radar.
August 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	The emergency manager reported a tree down in the center of town. The time of the event was estimated using radar.
March 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	An AWOS measured a wind gust of 55 kts.
March 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	This measurement was at the Monticello AWOS site.
June 2017	Tornado (EF2)	Monticello	-	A narrow EF2 tornado with winds estimated at 120 mph touched down in a field about 4 miles north of Monticello and tracked east northeast from Jones County crossing into Delaware County. The tornado struck neighboring farmsteads at the junction of 148th Ave. and Jones-Delaware County Road. Two grain bins and seven outbuildings were destroyed. Two garages had the doors blown in and five wooden power poles were snapped, including three larger transmission lines. The most unusual damage was an 18 foot missile that was formed from four sections of a grain bin roof that were folded into a narrow cone shape and propelled into the garage attic over 100 yards away. This EF2 tornado began in Jones County, and moved into Delaware County.
July 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	A public report of several tree limbs over 3 inches in diameter down within town. Also, one large tree was also down north of town on Highway 38. This report was relayed by KCRG.
June 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Local emergency management reported a large tree blown down in the city of Monticello.
May 2014	Hail	Monticello	-	Quarter sized hail fell about 2 miles west of Monticello, IA around 633 pm CDT May 20.
May 2014	Hail	Monticello	-	Ping pong ball sized hail fell about 1 mile north northwest of Monticello, IA around 635 pm CDT May 20.
May 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Emergency manager reported two trees down in Monticello.
June 2013	Flash Flood	Monticello	-	A car was stranded on County Road B62 at Silver Creek due to flash flooding. The only rainfall report was 1.20 inches in Wyoming.
July 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph blew down some tree limbs and partially blew down an entire tree in Monticello, IA at 950 pm CDT July 22.
July 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph were observed at the fairgrounds in Monticello, IA at 950 pm CDT July 22.
July 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Wind gusts estimated to be up to 60 mph were observed at the Jones County Fairgrounds in Monticello, IA between 1000 pm and 1015 pm CDT July 22.
September 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph were observed in Monticello, IA at 154 pm CDT September 21.
September 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph blew down several 2 inch diameter tree branches in Monticello, IA at 154 pm CDT September 21.
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Wind gusts estimated to be 65 mph blew a tree down in Monticello, IA around 405 am June 23.
June 2010	Flash Flood	Monticello	-	Water flooded streets in town.
June 2008	Flash Flood	Monticello	-	Heavy rains resulted in the flash flooding of Kitty Creek in Monticello, IA during the evening of June 8. Some roads were closed until the flood waters receded.
June 2008	Hail	Monticello	-	Quarter-sized hail fell in Monticello, IA at 3:26 pm June 12.
August 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph were observed in Monticello, IA at 455 pm August 4.
July 2008	Hail	Monticello	-	Penny-sized hail fell in Monticello, IA at 630 pm July 10.
July 2008	Hail	Monticello	-	Two inch diameter hail fell in Monticello, IA at 637 pm July 10.
July 2008	Hail	Monticello	-	Two inch diameter hail fell just west of Monticello, IA at 642 pm July 10.
July 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Wind gusts estimated to be 60 to 70 mph were observed 6 miles southeast of Monticello, IA at 110 pm July 10. This report was relayed by Jones County Emergency Management.
July 2008	Hail	Monticello	-	Quarter-sized hail fell just north of Monticello, IA at 642 pm July 10.
July 2008	Tornado (EF0)	Monticello	-	A brief tornado was photographed near Monticello. No damage was reported.
January 2008	Hail	Monticello	-	Law enforcement reported dime to nickel size hail near Monticello, which lasted for 4 minutes.
July 2006	Heavy Rain	Monticello	-	water ponding on parking lots & low lying areas.
May 2004	Tornado (F0)	Monticello	-	Rated F0
April 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Monticello	-	Trees and power lines blown down along County Road D62.

Every storm recorded in Jones County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

Listed places nearby

5 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Property	Distance	Listed
St. Luke's Methodist Church	0.3 miles	2002
Odd Fellows Hall	0.3 miles	1985
Ely's Stone Bridge	1.9 miles	1979
Scotch Grove Historic District	6.5 miles	2014
Corbett's/Eby's Mill Bridge	7.5 miles	1985

Sources for this property

National Archives record	The nomination case file for reference 79000909 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia article	Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Jones County	All 27 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.