Winona ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Winona County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 25,948 at the 2020 census. Located in bluff country, otherwise known as the Driftless Area on the Mississippi River, its most noticeable physical landmark is Sugar Loaf. Winona is the home of Winona State University, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.

History

The site was of the village of Keoxa of Dakota people. But the name "Keoxa" is known only from one non-contemporary source, Edward Duffield Neill's The history of Minnesota—from the earliest French explorations to the present times. According to Neill, "Keoxa" best translated to "Homestead", and the name comes from annual ceremonial gatherings held there to honor the dead. The French knew the areas as La Prairie Aux-Ailes. The first American visitors called it Wahpasha's Prairie. The modern city is named after Winona, a figure in a Dakota legend.

European immigrants settled the area in 1851 and laid out the town into lots in 1852 and 1853. The first were from New England.Minnesota: A State Guide page 263 The population increased from 815 in December 1855 to 3,000 in December 1856. In 1856, German immigrants arrived. The Germans and the Yankees worked together planting trees and building businesses based on lumber, wheat, steamboating, and railroads. Between 1859 and 1900, some 5,000 Poles and closely related Kashubians emigrated to Winona, making up one quarter of the population. Since 80% of them were Kashubians, Winona became known as the "Kashubian Capital of America". As a result of the influx of Polish Catholic immigrants, the Basilica of Saint Stanislaus Kostka (now Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka) was built. For a time, Winona had more millionaires than any other city of its size in the United States.

The railroad and steamboat transportation industries helped Winona grow into a small city that diversified into wheat milling and lumber production. In 1856, more than 1,300 steamboats stopped at Winona. The Winona and St. Peter Railroad's first segment of from Winona to Stockton, Minnesota, was completed by the end of 1862. Winona then had Minnesota's second operational railroad, after the St. Paul and Pacific Line from Saint Paul to Saint Anthony Falls.Daniel R. Pratt, Andrew J. Schmidt, Andrea C. Vermeer, and Betsy H. Bradley - Railroads in Minnesota, 1862-1956 MPS. United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Aug 2002, St. Paul, MN Section E. Statement of Historic Contexts - I. Railroad Development in Minnesota, 1862-1956 In December 1870, the Mississippi River was bridged at Winona by the Winona Rail Bridge. In 1892, a wagon toll-bridge over the Mississippi, a steel high-bridge, was completed and remained in service until the Main Channel Bridge opened in 1942.

Winona has two historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places that combine into a single local historic district administered by the city's Heritage Preservation Commission.

A bandshell was completed in 1924 for outdoor musical performances and events. The Winona Municipal Band holds concerts there during the summer.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of ; is land and is water. Lock and Dam 5A spans the Mississippi River in Winona. The highway bridge connecting Winona to the Wisconsin side of the river is at approximately River Mile 726 (USACE map 31).

Winona's primary suburbs are Goodview, Stockton, Minnesota City, and Rollingstone to the west, Homer to the southeast, and Bluff Siding and Fountain City to the north. Rochester is 44 miles west of Winona, La Crescent is 21 miles to the south, and La Crosse is 30 miles to the southeast.

Winona is part of the driftless area, a region never covered by ice during the last ice age, that includes southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois.

Just northeast of the city, connected to it by several bridges, is Latsch Island. Officially part of the city since 1998, Latsch Island has been home to a unique community of houseboat ("Boathouse") residents for several decades.

The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Winona the principal city of the Winona, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA).

Climate Winona's weather station records the warmest climate of any in Minnesota, with a normal year-round average (1971–2000) temperature of compared to in Austin to the city's southwest or in Minneapolis, to the northwest, which experiences a strong urban heat island effect. Temperatures are generally very mild by Minnesota standards; the January mean is , while that of July is . Winona has a humid continental climate (Dfa) with hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters.

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, Winona had a population of 25,948 and a population density of . Of residents, 94.4% lived in urban areas and 5.6% lived in rural areas.

The median age was 31.6 years. 14.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.0% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 88.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 85.2 males age 18 and over.

There were 10,631 households in the city. Of all households, 18.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 34.2% were married-couple households, 25.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 39.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 11,525 housing units, at an average density of ; 7.8% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.2%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 23,171 89.3% Black or African American 718 2.8% American Indian and Alaska Native 69 0.3% Asian 573 2.2% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.0% Some other race 325 1.3% Two or more races 1,092 4.2% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 829 3.2%

2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 27,592 people, 10,449 households, and 5,022 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 10,989 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.0% White, 1.9% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.9% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population.

There were 10,449 households, of which 20.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 51.9% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.84.

The median age in the city was 26.7 years. 14.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 33.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.5% were from 25 to 44; 20.5% were from 45 to 64; and 13.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 27,069 residents. The population density was . There were 10,666 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.47% White, 1.13% African American, 0.23% Native American, 2.65% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.35% of the population.

Ancestries: German (43.2%), Norwegian (15.5%), Polish (14.8%), Irish (13.0%), English (5.5%), French (3.6%).

There were 10,301 households, out of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.3% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.0% under the age of 18, 27.5% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.

The median income for a household was $32,845, and the median income for a family was $48,413. Males had a median income of $31,047 versus $23,302 for females. The per capita income was $16,783. About 6.5% of families and 17.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over. Economy Winona is home to the headquarters to many companies, including Fastenal, Thern Inc., Knitcraft Corporation, RTP Company, We-No-Nah Canoe, United Building Centers, Badger Equipment Company,Hal Leonard Music Winona Lighting, Hal Leonard Music, WinCraft Sports, and Winona Pattern & Mold. Bay State Milling operates a grain processing facility in Winona and was founded there in 1899.

Watkins Incorporated, a manufacturer of health remedies, baking products, and household goods, was founded in 1868 by J. R. Watkins in Plainview, Minnesota. The company relocated to Winona in 1885. By the early 20th century, J. R. Watkins had become one of the largest direct-sales companies in the United States. The company headquarters, a complex of seven buildings, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Winona is also known as the stained glass capital of the United States. Willet Hauser Architectural Glass is a stained glass firm in Winona that specializes in the design, fabrication, preservation and restoration of leaded stained glass and faceted glass windows. The studio is one of the oldest in North America.

Fastenal, headquartered in Winona,Fastenal ranked 479th in the 2021 Fortune 500 based on its 2020 revenues. In 2023 Fastenal fell to number 514. Its stock is a component of the Nasdaq 100 index.

Top employers According to the City's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, its largest employers are:

# Employer Type of Business # of Employees Percentage1Fastenal CompanyCommercial/Industrial1,6185.00%2Winona State UniversityPost-secondary education1,0504.19%3Winona HealthHospital/Clinic/Health Care9753.59%4Winona Area Public Schools ISD 861K-12 education6842.20%5WinCraftPromotional materials5001.75%6Saint Mary's University of MinnesotaPost-secondary education4501.57%7TRW Automotive ElectronicsIndustrial machinery4001.40%8RTP CompanyIndustrial3751.31%9County of WinonaCounty Government3001.05%10Watlow Electric Manufacturing CompanyElectronic Control manufacturer2891.01%—Total principal employers—6,60623.07%—Other employers—22,01976.93%—Total employers—28,625100.00%

Arts and culture

Architecture In addition to the two NRHP historic districts, Winona has multiple buildings of architectural significance

Choate Department Store Merchants National Bank Building Watkins Incorporated Building Winona Savings Bank Building Winona Commercial Historic District East Second Street Commercial Historic District

Culture