Willmar, Minnesota

History

Willmar was the site of a bank robbery by the Machine Gun Kelly gang on July 15, 1930. They robbed the Bank of Willmar (later Otto Bremer Trust) of about $70,000 () and wounded three people.

The Willmar Memorial Auditorium, designed by architect William Ingemann, was the largest assembly hall within 70 miles when completed in 1938. It was funded by the city of Willmar and the state and federal governments as a Depression-era works project. It contains several murals by Richard Haines commissioned by the Federal Art Project, and wood paneling in the oak doors by WPA artists.

From 1977 to 1979, Willmar was the site of the Willmar 8, a strike of female workers confronting sexual discrimination at a local bank. The strike was reported in mainstream media and a documentary.

Bradley Joseph's music draws inspiration from his childhood in Willmar, and his company, Robbins Island Music, is named after a Willmar city park.

Willmar was home to the annual Sonshine Festival, a Christian music festival, from 1982 to 2014.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 15.95 sqmi, of which 14.15 sqmi is land and 1.80 sqmi is water.

The 45° latitude line passes just south of Willmar, placing it approximately halfway between the equator and the North Pole.

Climate

|Jan record high F = 62 |Feb record high F = 62 |Mar record high F = 79 |Apr record high F = 94 |May record high F = 105 |Jun record high F = 103 |Jul record high F = 107 |Aug record high F = 105 |Sep record high F = 105 |Oct record high F = 91 |Nov record high F = 80 |Dec record high F = 64

|Jan avg record high F = 40.5 |Feb avg record high F = 44.3 |Mar avg record high F = 61.2 |Apr avg record high F = 77.7 |May avg record high F = 88.5 |Jun avg record high F = 91.9 |Jul avg record high F = 91.8 |Aug avg record high F = 90.2 |Sep avg record high F = 87.4 |Oct avg record high F = 81.5 |Nov avg record high F = 61.0 |Dec avg record high F = 44.4 |year avg record high F = 94.7

|Jan avg record low F = -19.7 |Feb avg record low F = -15.8 |Mar avg record low F = -3.8 |Apr avg record low F = 18.9 |May avg record low F = 32.8 |Jun avg record low F = 45.0 |Jul avg record low F = 51.5 |Aug avg record low F = 47.2 |Sep avg record low F = 34.2 |Oct avg record low F = 21.0 |Nov avg record low F = 4.2 |Dec avg record low F = -13.1 |year avg record low F = -22.3

|Jan record low F = -40 |Feb record low F = -38 |Mar record low F = -31 |Apr record low F = -5 |May record low F = 19 |Jun record low F = 32 |Jul record low F = 39 |Aug record low F = 33 |Sep record low F = 19 |Oct record low F = -1 |Nov record low F = -22 |Dec record low F = -35

|access-date = March 6, 2023 |access-date = March 6, 2023 |access-date = March 6, 2023

Demographics

|align-fn=center 2020 Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 19,610 people, 7,677 households, and 4,538 families living in the city. The population density was 1385.9 PD/sqmi. There were 8,123 housing units at an average density of 574.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 86.9% White; 4.8% Black, primarily Somali; 0.5% Native American; 0.6% Asian; 0.1% Pacific Islander; 5.4% from other races; and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.9% of the population.

There were 7,677 households, of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.9% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.10.

The median age in the city was 33.8 years. 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 22.2% were from 45 to 64; and 15.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 18,351 people, 7,302 households, and 4,461 families living in the city. The population density was 1,549.9 PD/sqmi. There were 7,789 housing units at an average density of 657.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 88.12% White, 0.90% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 8.52% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.86% of the population.

There were 7,302 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,455, and the median income for a family was $45,415. Males had a median income of $31,575 versus $22,158 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,515. About 8.4% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.2% of those under the age of 18 and 8.0% of those 65 and older.

Immigration

Since 1989, Willmar has had a large influx of immigrants from Latin America and Northeast Africa, mostly due to demand for labor at the Jennie-O poultry plant. In 2001, the National Civic League recognized Willmar as an "All America City", in part for its success as growing numbers of immigrants became part of the community.

In 2005, the city received attention from national media after several Somali-American high school students gave Willmar High School its first cross-country state championship in 20 years. The team won the state tournament and attended the Nike Nationals in both 2005 and 2006. The city gained attention from Sports Illustrated, and NBC Nightly News ran a story on Willmar's changing complexion and acceptance of its new citizens.

Willmar received more national attention when an opinion piece about immigration and Willmar by Thomas Friedman appeared in the New York Times on May 14, 2019.

On January 16, 2026, national news outlets—including MS NOW—reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents ate a meal at a Mexican restaurant in Willmar, then returned later in the day to arrest the employees who had provided their meal.{{cite news |title=ICE agents eat at small-town Mexican restaurant — then detain workers |url=https://www.startribune.com/ice-agents-eat-at-small-town-mexican-restaurant-then-detain-workers/601565580

Education

Transportation

U.S. Highways 12 and 71 and Minnesota State Highways 23 and 40 are four of the main routes in the city.

Willmar greatly benefited from being at the junction of multiple railway lines. From Willmar, the Great Northern Railway had lines radiating east to Minneapolis and St. Paul, northwest to Fargo and Seattle, northeast to St. Cloud and Duluth, and southwest to Sioux Falls and Yankton. Willmar was served by numerous passenger trains over the years. The last passenger train left Willmar station in 1979.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Minnesota

Media

Newspapers

• West Central Tribune
• La Gran America (Trilingual newspaper)

Magazines

• Seasons of Minnesota

Television stations

• UHF-TV Inc. WRAC TV - Regional Access Channel

Broadcast

Pay television services

• Charter Communications
• DirecTV
• Dish Network

Radio stations

Notable people

• Thomas K. Berg – politician and lawyer
• Wallace Gustafson – lawyer and politician
• Olof Hanson – architect
• Bonnie Henrickson – head women's college basketball coach at UC Santa Barbara
• Roy C. Jensen – farmer and politician
• Dean Johnson – politician
• Robert George Johnson – politician
• Carl O. Jorgenson – politician
• Bradley Joseph – composer and recording artist
• Pinky Nelson – astronaut
• Alec G. Olson – politician
• Earl B. Olson – founder of the Jennie-O Turkey company
• Kenneth L. Olson – United States Army soldier
• Jim Pederson – professional football player
• Henrik Shipstead – politician
• Curt Swan – illustrator of Superman comics from the 1950s to the 1980s
• Rick Swenson – dog musher and Iditarod participant
• Alan Welle – politician and businessman
• Henry G. Young – lawyer and politician

Sister cities

• Russia Yakutsk, Russia
• Belarus Vileyka, Belarus

References

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
2. {{GNIS. 2397323
3. "Minnesota Pronunciation Guide".
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
5. "Explore Census Data". [[United States Census Bureau]].
6. . (1985). "WPA Guide to Minnesota". *[[Minnesota Historical Society]]*.
7. Fedo, Michael. (2002). "Pocket Guide to Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society Press.
8. Upham, Warren. (1920). "Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance". Minnesota Historical Society.
9. May, Allan. "George "Machine Gun" Kelly: The Bank Robber (ch. 5)". CrimeLibrary.com.
10. . (January 16, 2013). ["The history, mystery and purpose of War Memorial Auditorium in downtown Willmar, Minn., comes to light"](https://www.wctrib.com/news/the-history-mystery-and-purpose-of-war-memorial-auditorium-in-downtown-willmar-minn-comes-to-light). *[[West Central Tribune]]*.
11. [http://newsreel.org/nav/title.asp?tc=CN0108 The Wilmar 8] California Newsreel
12. Polta, Anne. (February 8, 2007). "Continuing Journey: Bradley Joseph sustains music career with songwriting, recording". [[West Central Tribune]].
13. "Sonshine leaving Willmar, relocating to Wis. In 2015".
14. "US Gazetteer files 2010". [[United States Census Bureau]].
15. (January 17, 2024). "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". United States Census Bureau.
16. United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing".
17. (March 12, 2012). "Willmar showing the way to a more diverse Minnesota". Minnesota Public Radio.
18. (December 21, 2006). "NBC Nightly News - Willmar Immigration".
19. (May 15, 2019). "New York Times - President Trump, Come to Willmar".
20. "About Ridgewater College".