A history: Despite the rumor that the name of Maroa came from letters picked out of a hat, Maroa was actually named after the Maroa Indians, who were a part of the Illinois Confederation. The first settler of Maroa came in 1839, a man by the name of James Pettyjohn. Following more settlers coming from Indiana, Ohio, and Tennessee, the first schoolhouse was constructed in 1852. At one point, Maroa was the second largest township, second only to county seat Decatur. While we're a rather small town today, we are glad you're here, and hope you enjoy the small town charm as much as we do!