Montour Map
Montour is a city in Tama County, Iowa, United States. The population was 285 at the 2000 census.
Montour was founded near the villages of Indian Village and Butlerville on the east side of Indian Creek upon the elevated bench on the south side of the Iowa River around 1864. Dr. Doe, (probably the first physician of Indiantown), built a seven-by-nine dry goods store in Indiantown. When the railroad came near, he moved his store to it and thus started the first business in Montour (at this time called Orford). Daniel Hempy built the first residence in the new village,and several houses from Indiantown were brought in following it, rolled in upon wheels. When C. J. STEVENS moved his lumber trade and agricultural machinery to Orford (or Montour) in the spring of 1865, the town had a total of seven houses. In April, trains did not stop without flaggings, the train men throwing off the mail, as it passed through.
Montour grew to be a thriving community with churches, a high school, hotels, general stores, gas stations and even at one point a car dealership. In the past 30 years, most of these have faded away. The high school was incorporated into the Tama County School system in the '50s, became an elementary school in the 80s and, with dwindling attendance, closed its doors completely in 2003.
Nearby cities include Marshalltown, Laurel, Haverhill, Gladbrook, Grinnell.