Incorporated as the Town of Listowel in 1875, it was dissolved in 1998 following amalgamation with several other communities in the northern section of Perth County.

It was renamed in June 1856 after a post office was established, and named after the town of Listowel, in County Kerry, Ireland.

[9][6] On February 28, 1959, the roof of the Listowel Memorial Arena collapsed under heavy snow, burying a boys' hockey team playing a scrimmage game.

Seven players, along with a referee and recreation director, were killed in the collapse in what was described by the Waterloo Region Record as "Listowel's darkest day".

[13][14] On March 17, 2011, the local dollar store caught fire and its roof collapsed, killing volunteer firefighters Ray Walter (30) and Ken Rea (56).

[15] Listowel mourned the loss, closing major streets and posting black ribbons all over town in honour of the fallen firefighters.

[20] Listowel has also raised musicians from many genres, such as Thirteen O'Clock,[21] and Brian Vollmer (lead singer of Helix).

Contestants must perform a speech, impromptu question and interview with the judges and receive the overall highest score to be awarded this position.

[29] In 2010 the former Campbell Soup plant was purchased by Erie Meat Products and expected to ship 50-60 million pounds of poultry to world markets on an annual basis.