WILLMAR, MINNESOTA

'Willmar' is a city located in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,351. It is the county seat of Kandiyohi County⁶ Willmar has been assigned ZIP code 56201 by the USPS.

Contents

History

National attention

Geography

Demographics

Media

Newspapers

Television Stations

Radio Stations

Sister Cities

External links

See also

History

Agricultural expansion and the establishment of Willmar as a division point on the Great Northern Railway (U.S.) determined the growth of the community. The first settlers arrived during the 1850’s attracted to the fertile land and an abundance of timber and game. The Dakota War of 1862 left the township abandoned for several years. The advent of the railroad in Kandiyohi County in 1869 brought new settlers. Many were of Swedish and Norwegian origins; hence the predominance today of residents of Scandinavian heritage. In 1870, Leon Willmar – a Belgian acting as a European bondholder of St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company – purchased the title to Section 1 of Willmar Township. Willmar was established as the county seat in 1871 and was incorporated as a village in 1874 and as a city in 1901. Willmar was the site of "The Great Willmar, Minnesota Raid", a famous bank robbery by the Machine Gun Kelly gang on July 15, 1930. In 1977-1979, Willmar was the site of the Willmar 8, a famous strike of female workers at a local bank.

National attention

Since 1990, the rural town has experienced a large influx of immigrants from Latin America and East Africa, mostly due to the demand for labor at the Jennie-O poultry plant. In 2005, the city was recognized as an "All America City" by the National Civic League, 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 high school students gave Willmar High School its first Cross-Country State championship in twenty years. The team won the state tournament and attended the Nike Nationals consecutively in 2005 and 2006. Following the success of the team, the city gained attention from ''Sports Illustrated''. Subsequently, ''NBC Nightly News'' conducted a story documenting the changing face of the rural city and its relative acceptance of the new makeup of its citizens.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.2 km² (13.6 mi²). 30.7 km² (11.8 mi²) of it is land and 4.6 km² (1.8 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 12.94% water. The 45º latitude line passes just south of Willmar, placing it just halfway between the equator and the North Pole.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 18,351 people, 7,302 households, and 4,461 families residing in the city. The population density was 598.4/km² (1,549.9/mi²). There were 7,789 housing units at an average density of 254.0/km² (657.8/mi²). 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. 15.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
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. 13.1% of the population and 8.4% of families were below the poverty line. 16.2% of those under the age of 18 and 8.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Media

Newspapers

West Central Tribune

Television Stations

Refer to UHF-TV Inc.

Radio Stations

Station Call Sign	Frequency	Tower Location	Content
KNSR	88.9 FM	Collegeville, MN	News
KBPG	89.5 FM	Montevideo, MN	Religious
KSJR	90.1 FM	Collegeville, MN	Classical
KKLW	90.9 FM	Willmar, MN	Christian Contemporary
KBHZ	91.9 FM	Willmar, MN	Religious
KSCR	93.5 FM	Benson, MN	Adult Contemporary
KKRC	93.9 FM	Granite Falls, MN	Oldies
KKLN	94.1 FM	Atwater, MN	Rock
KMXK	94.9 FM	Cold Spring, MN	Hot AC
KDJS	95.3 FM	Willmar, MN	Country
KGLH	96.9 FM	Spicer, MN	Religious
KRVY	97.3 FM	Starbuck, MN	Adult Contemporary
KLGR	97.7 FM	Redwood Falls, MN	Hot AC
KKCK	99.7 FM	Marshall, MN	Adult Contemporary
KOLV	100.1 FM	Olivia, MN	Country
KQIC	102.5 FM	Willmar, MN	Hot AC
KCLD	104.7 FM	St. Cloud, MN	Adult Contemporary
KMGM	105.5 FM	Montevideo, MN	Adult Contemporary
KLFN	106.5 FM	Sunburg, MN	Classic Hits
KARP	106.9 FM	Dassel, MN	Country
KMGK	107.1 FM	Glenwood, MN	Smooth Jazz
KDUZ	1260 AM	Hutchinson, MN	Country
KBMO	1290 AM	Benson, MN	Adult Contemporary
KWLM	1340 AM	Willmar, MN	News/Talk
KLFD	1410 AM	Litchfield, MN	Variety
KDMA	1460 AM	Montevideo, MN	Country
KLGR	1490 AM	Redwood Falls, MN	Country
KDJS	1590 AM	Willmar, MN	Oldies

Sister Cities

Willmar has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):

★ Frameries, Belgium

★ Vileyka, Belarus

External links

★ http://www.willmar.com "The Official Entire Willmar Lakes Area Community Portal"

★ City of Willmar, Minnesota official city website.

★ The Willmar 8 California Newsreel documentary on a 1980 bank strike in Willmar.

★ Ridgewater College in Willmar, Minnesota.

★ West Central Tribune Daily newspaper covering the city of Willmar, Kandiyohi County and the surrounding area.

See also