Nestled in the northwestern corner of Morgan County,
Monrovia, with its population of just over 600 people, is on
the cusp of explosive growth. The town, which is more than
170 years old, was officially incorporated in 1995.
Monrovia’s proximity to I-70, which connects to Indianapolis
to the east and St. Louis to the West, provides the mostly rural
community with a conduit to economic development. Indianapolis International
Airport, which opened its $1 billion midfield terminal in 2008,
is 20 minutes away. The town’s well-paved county highway system
provides the necessary connection to I-70 for any distribution,
transportation or logistics business. Plans are under way for a
development of light industry and DTL-type businesses at the intersection
of I-70 and State Road 39.
More than half the town’s population is in the labor force
with the mean travel time to work at 26 minutes – the average
daily commute to downtown Indianapolis.
The rolling topography and rural atmosphere of Monrovia
provide homeowners the opportunity to live away from the
urban centers of the state, but still close enough to enjoy the
amenities available in neighboring Morgan County towns, as well
as Hendricks County to the north and Indianapolis to the east.
Over the past decade, the town has laid the groundwork for growth
with a sanitary sewer system that can accommodate an influx of residential
and business customers. In recent years, the town has seen modest
retail growth with a new grocery store and most recently, the Monroe
Township Fire Department has opened a new station to provide fire
protection for the area.
The downtown buildings are occupied and the Morgan County Public
Library, in conjunction with the Monroe-Gregg School Corporation,
has opened a new branch in the town, acknowledging the changes
in the educational and economic climate Monrovia is beginning to
see. A commercial area is planned west of the downtown area –
a development that will complement the landscape that has been home
for generations to farms and apple orchards. |