Windom, Minnesota

**Windom** is a city in Cottonwood County, Minnesota, United States.  The population was 4,798 at the 2020 census.  It is the county seat of Cottonwood County.

Windom is a small farming town.  It also has many parks including one with a disc golf course.  The Des Moines River flows through Windom and some people canoe there.

## History
The city was named for William Windom, who was a United States Senator from Minnesota from 1881–1883, and was United States Secretary of the Treasury under presidents James Garfield, Chester Arthur and Benjamin Harrison.

## Geography
Windom is located at  (43.866346, -95.116937). It is  above sea level. The United States Census Bureau says that the city has a total area of 4.3 square miles (11.0 km²).  4.1 square miles (10.6&nbsp;km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4&nbsp;km²) of it (3.8%) is water.  It is also the home to Big Game Treestands.

## Communications
The local paper is the *Cottonwood County Citizen*.http://www.windomnews.com
The local radio station is KDOM Radio.http://www.kdomradio.com/ 

## Education
Windom is home to three schools: Windom Area Middle/High School, Winfair Elementary School, and Red Rock Ridge ALC.  It is also home to two preschools: Busy Bees and Sunshine School.

### Windom Area Middle/High School
Windom Area Middle/High School is home to students grade 4-12 due to renovations in 2003.  There are roughly 300 students attending the high school (grades 9-12) and 350 attending the middle school (grades 4-10).

#### Extracurriculars
##### Sports
*Football home of Top Minnesota recruits Michael Rivera and Tent Bever
*Volleyball - State Champions in 2008, State Runner up in 2007 2013 section 2A champs 
*Cross Country - Boys and Girls- John Curley and Emily Turner, State Participants, 2010 (800 meter dash winner 7th grade John Turner)
*Basketball- Boys and Girls Hoops that Like to throw Alley-oops. Stepping stone to Intermural glory.
*Gymnastics-voted all state academics 12 years running 
*Wrestling- Jeff Stuckenbroker, Nick Kulseth, A.J. Stevens, Drake Borsgard, Joe Fischenich, Billy Hochstein, Sam Fischenich, and Wyatt Stevens have all been state place winners.
*Golf - State Runner-up in 2008 lead by Jordan Higley. 
*Lacrosse established in 2008 coached by Johnathan Smith who has a 21-46 career record star players have been Sean Mcgire, Phillip Symens, and Nolan Jones.
*Tennis only all state player in school history Brendon Chester

##### Arts
*Band
*Stage Band
*Choir
*Pop Group
*Flags and Rifles
*Fall Musical
*Winter Play
*Mass Media

##### Academics
*Knowledge Bowl State Participants in 3 successive years 2009, 2010, and 2011
*YES! Team
*Speech-Many state participants, including Morgan Potter, State Champion in Prose
*FFA
*Student Senate

## Entertainment
### Riverfest
Windom holds an annual summer festival called *Riverfest* during the second weekend of June.  A pageant corresponds to this celebration which crowns a Miss Riverfest, a First Runner-Up, Miss Photogenic, Miss Congeniality and a Little Miss Riverfest.  Other activities in this weekend celebration include: fireworks, Vickie Schendel 5K Walk/Run, tennis tourney, fishing tourney, turtle races, kiddie tractor pull, street dance, grand parade, and many more.

### Winter-River-Fest
In February 2011 Windom started a new festival dubbed "Winter-River-Fest."  Activities included a chili feed, open fires, dodge ball, snow sculpting, and the Darn Cold Croquet Contest.

## Notable natives
*Maria Schneider - Composer
*Johnny Olson - Gameshow announcer
*Larry Buhler - Professional football player

## References
* Brown, John A.  *History of Cottonwood and Watonwan Counties, Minnesota: Their People, Industries, and Institutions.*  B.F. Bowen & Co.: Indianapolis, 1916.

## Other websites
* City of Windom
* Windom Community Guide