Rural settlement 65 km north-east of Stratford. Sections became available at Whangamōmona in 1897–98. In the second half of the 20th century all the communities in the valley gradually declined. The school was closed in 1979 and the post office in 1988. Locals half-jokingly declared Whangamōmona a republic when the local government reforms of 1989 made the town part of Manawatū–Wanganui rather than Taranaki. The biennial republic day draws thousands of visitors from all over the North Island.
Meaning of place name
Whanga: valley; mōmona: fat. In pre-Contact times this depression in the hills was noted for its dense forests, teeming with birds, succulent food for Maori.
