Town History

J.W. Conrad, Conrad's namesake, settled in southern Grundy County near Wolf Creek in 1853.  In the spring of 1880, the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad began work on a rail line running through Wolf Creek Valley; soon after, a plan for the town of Conrad was established.  In 1894, a fire broke out and destroyed nearly every downtown building.  The town rebuilt immediately, replacing wood frame structures with brick buildings.  Known for its rich black dirt, Conrad claims to be the "Black Dirt Capital of the World".