Fonda is a small (population 648 in 2000) town in southwest Pocahontas County. Founded in 1870, it was first called Marvin, but the name was changed in 1874 to prevent confusion with nearby Manson. Fonda students attend the Newell/Fonda Community Schools, with the elementary and high school at Newell, nine miles from Fonda, and the middle school in Fonda. There is also a private Catholic school, Our Lady of Good Counsel, for students from kindergarten through eighth grade. A fine museum of Fonda and area history is housed in the old Fonda opera house, run by Gib and Jan Alpers. Fonda's annual Labor Day Rodeo (including demolition derby and tractor pull) attracts many. The town has a library, swimming pool, tennis courts, ball fields and other park facilities, and is near Sunken Grove, a state wildlife area offering hiking, canoeing, camping and hunting. Major employers in town include the Ag Partners grain elevator, Fonda Nursing and Rehab, and the schools.