Windsor, Colorado facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Windsor, Colorado
Town
Location of Windsor in Larimer County and Weld County, Colorado
Windsor, Colorado Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Colorado
Counties	Larimer, Weld
Platted	1882
Incorporated	April 2, 1890
Government
• Type	Home rule municipality
Area
• Total	26.26 sq mi (68.02 km2)
• Land	25.08 sq mi (64.96 km2)
• Water	1.18 sq mi (3.06 km2)
Elevation	4,797 ft (1,462 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	32,716
• Estimate  (2021)	35,788
• Density	1,276.5/sq mi (492.9/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP codes	80528, 80550-80551
Area code(s)	970
FIPS code	08-85485
GNIS feature ID	0204693
Website	Town of Windsor

Windsor is a town in Colorado. It is located in both Larimer and Weld counties. In 2020, about 32,716 people lived there. Windsor is part of the Northern Colorado area.

Discovering Windsor's Past

In 1873, a person named J.L. Hilton built a small house. It was located halfway between Greeley and Fort Collins. This "half-way" house became a guide for travelers. Soon, a railway called the Greeley, Salt Lake and Pacific used this same route.

The railroad brought more people, like investors and farmers, to Windsor. The land around Windsor was very good for growing wheat. This led to one of the town's first businesses: a flour mill. After a fire in 1899, it was rebuilt and became the Windsor Milling and Elevator Company.

How Windsor Grew

The area around Windsor first attracted people in the early 1870s because of its rich wheat farms. Two main things helped Windsor grow early on:

• Irrigation: This helped farmers grow many different kinds of crops and produce more.
• The Railroad: This made it easy to ship crops to markets.

The town was officially planned in 1882. That same year, the Windsor Railroad Depot was built. Windsor became an official town in 1890. It was named after a person called Rev. Samuel Asa Windsor.

By 1900, there was a high demand for new sources of sugar. This was because of taxes on sugar from other countries. Scientists at Colorado Agricultural College in Fort Collins were studying how to grow sugar beets better. Money was also being gathered to help grow and make sugar from these beets.

In 1903, a factory was built in Windsor to make sugar from sugar beets. Growing sugar beets needed many workers. Many German immigrants from Russia came to fill this need. These families often had many children and worked very hard. They became financially successful within one generation. Many owned the best beet farms.

The Great Western Sugar Company was very important to Windsor's economy. This lasted until the Windsor factory closed in the mid-1960s. After the sugar factory closed, Kodak opened a manufacturing plant in Windsor. They chose Windsor because it had plenty of water and land.

Kodak's arrival helped the town's economy grow and its population increase. Later, in the 1980s, Metal Container Corporation (MCC) opened a can factory. Deline Box Company also opened a factory, which closed in 2010. This factory mainly served the Budweiser facility in Fort Collins.

In the last 20 years, Windsor has grown very quickly. It is located between many towns in northern Colorado. It is also close to Interstate 25. This has led to a lot of new buildings, especially on the west side of town. Windsor is now growing towards I-25. In the 1990s, the town's borders moved west into Larimer County. The town now touches Loveland to the west of I-25. It is separated from southeast Fort Collins by public lands called Fossil Creek Open Space.

In recent years, there has been a lot of industrial growth on the southeast side of town. Vestas has a factory that makes wind turbines there. Other related companies, like Hexcel and Ice Energy, also have their main offices in Windsor. Owens Illinois has a glass factory that mainly serves the Budweiser facility in Fort Collins. Windsor has also attracted companies that provide digital services. For example, Agworld, a farm management software company, has its North American headquarters here.

The 2008 Tornado Event

On May 22, 2008, a powerful tornado hit Windsor. It also caused a lot of damage in Weld County and Larimer County. Sadly, a Vietnam War veteran died in his RV. Seventy-eight other people were hurt.

Weather experts looked at the damage. They found areas with very strong damage, like an EF3 tornado. This means winds were up to 165 miles per hour. The tornado's path was unusual, moving from west to northwest. It also happened earlier in the day than most tornadoes in the area. The storm also brought large hail and heavy rain. This damaged an even bigger area than the tornado itself.

A home in Windsor, CO, heavily damaged by the tornado on May 22, 2008.

The tornado damaged many homes, businesses, and government buildings. It even knocked over 15 railroad cars, vehicles, and large trucks. The Windmill Daycare Center was hit, but all the staff and children survived with only small injuries. The tornado also badly damaged the Windsor Milling and Elevator Co. Building. This building is on the National Register of Historic Places. It took almost 10 years to fix the damage. Many of the town's parks and recreation areas were also destroyed. This included the cemetery, sports fields, swimming pool, the main park, and a new arts and heritage center.

The Red Cross helped hundreds of people find shelter right after the tornado. They also helped find places for farm animals. The Governor of Colorado, Bill Ritter, visited Windsor and declared a local emergency. The Colorado National Guard was sent to help and protect the town. On May 26, 2008, President George W. Bush said the area was a Federal disaster area.

The tornado caused about $193.5 million in damage. This came from about 24,000 claims for car and home damage. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved over $3 million in loans. These loans helped people and businesses in Weld County who were hurt by the storm.

Windsor's Location and Landscape

Windsor covers about 26.26 square miles (68.02 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The Cache la Poudre River flows through the western and southern parts of the town.

The main business area of Windsor runs east to west. It is along State Highway 392, which is also called Main Street. The BNSF train tracks run north of Main Street. The older part of town is about six blocks north and south of Main Street. It also extends less than 10 blocks east and west. There is a lively green area called Main Park southeast of downtown. Homes surround the park. The Town Hall, which used to be Park School, is at the north end of the park.

New businesses have also grown in the Water Valley area. This is along State Highway 257, near where it meets Windsor Lake. Windsor Lake is a small reservoir that is part of Weld County's irrigation system. It is one block north of the BNSF tracks. The lake is a popular place for fishing. A 2.25-mile (3.6 km) bike path now goes all the way around the lake. Besides Windsor Lake, there are other lakes and reservoirs. These used to be gravel mines along the Cache la Poudre river. These lakes have led to new housing developments and a golf course being built nearby.

The Poudre Trail is a path for bikes and walkers along the north bank of the Poudre River. A part of this trail is in Windsor. It connects the town with the City of Greeley.

Windsor's Climate and Weather

Windsor has a semi-arid climate. This means it is generally dry. Summer high temperatures are usually around 85°F (29°C). Winter highs are about 42°F (5°C). However, temperatures can change a lot. The hottest days are usually in late July. The coldest days are in January. Nighttime lows are around 57°F (14°C) in summer and 15°F (-9°C) in winter.

The highest temperature ever recorded was 106°F (41°C). The lowest was -25°F (-32°C). The first freeze usually happens around September 17. The last freeze is often in mid-May. Most rain typically falls in May.

Storms that affect the eastern United States often start in or near Colorado. This means Windsor does not experience many fully developed storm systems. Thunderstorms are common on summer afternoons. Windsor usually has between 6 and 12 days with hail each year. It also has one of the highest numbers of tornadoes anywhere. The area where Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming meet gets the most hail in the United States.

Some days in winter and spring can be warm and very dry. This is due to Chinook winds. These winds can raise temperatures to almost 70°F (21°C) in January and February. Sometimes they can even reach nearly 90°F (32°C) in April. Because Windsor is high up and not very humid, nighttime low temperatures are almost never above 68°F (20°C). This is true even in the hottest part of summer.

The difference between daytime high and nighttime low temperatures is usually quite large. A 50-degree Fahrenheit (28°C) difference is not uncommon. This is especially true in spring and fall. Temperatures can also change very quickly. A sunny 80°F (27°C) October afternoon can turn into a 28°F (-2°C) blizzard within 12 hours.

Windsor's Growing Population

For a long time, many people in Windsor were of German-Russian heritage. Starting in the early 1970s, as more industries came to town, the population became more diverse. However, about 89.8% of the town's people are still white. Windsor's German-Russian history is still seen in its churches, festivals, and traditions.

Arts, Culture, and Fun in Windsor

The town hosts a Summer Concert Series at Boardwalk Park, which is next to the lake. You can enjoy music, food from vendors, and local beer there.

A Harvest Festival happens on the Labor Day weekend. It includes a parade, a carnival, concerts, a hot air balloon festival, and a home and garden fair.

Museums and Theaters

The Windsor Art and Heritage Center has different art shows throughout the year. It also offers art and cultural programs for people of all ages.

The Boardwalk Park Museum has seven original historical buildings. These include a train depot with a caboose and freight car. There's also a schoolhouse, a teacher's living area, a farmhouse with a summer kitchen, and a beet shanty and prayer meeting house.

The Windsor Community Playhouse started in 1981. It puts on different plays and shows.

The Windsor Severance Fire Rescue Museum shows the history of the Windsor Fire Department. It was started in 1902.

Sports Teams in Windsor

The Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC is a professional soccer team. They started playing in 2022. The team plays in USL League One, which is the third level of American soccer.

The Northern Colorado Owlz baseball team moved to Windsor. They started their first season at Future Legends Complex in 2022. They play in the Pioneer League.

The Colorado Eagles hockey team plays in the American Hockey League. They are also located in Windsor.

Parks and Recreation Activities

Main Park, a popular spot in Windsor.

Windsor Lake, offering many outdoor activities.

Windsor has 25 parks, both developed and undeveloped. Together, they cover over 200 acres (81 hectares).

Main Park has courts for pickleball and basketball. It also has sand volleyball courts, a playground, and picnic areas.

Boardwalk Park is next to Windsor Lake. It has a playground that is easy for wheelchairs to access. There are also picnic shelters, a swimming beach, and places for boating and fishing. A 2.25-mile (3.6 km) trail goes around the lake.

Chimney Park has sports fields, baseball diamonds, and an outdoor swimming pool. Part of this park used to be where the Great Western Sugar factory was.

Eastman Park is next to the Cache la Poudre River. It has a skate park, picnic shelters, sports fields, trails, a playground, and a dog park where dogs can run without a leash. Diamond Valley has fields for baseball and softball.

The Windsor Community Recreation Center offers classes, events, sports leagues, and activities for older adults.

Learning in Windsor

The Weld RE-4 School District runs the public schools in Windsor:

Windsor in the News

The Windsor Ledger newspaper started in 1898. It later changed its name to the Poudre Valley in 1902. Then, in 1946, it became the Windsor Beacon.

Windsor is also home to offices for Townsquare Media. KUAD-FM 99.1, a country music radio station, is also located here.

Well-Known People from Windsor

• Ralph Backstrom, a former NHL player and founder of the Colorado Eagles hockey team.
• Thomas Casten, an environmentalist, activist, author, and businessman, was born in Windsor.
• Benjamin Harrison Eaton, who was a Governor of Colorado.
• Jean Bethke Elshtain, a political philosopher, was born in Windsor.
• Kendrick Frazier, a science writer and editor, was born in Windsor.
• Greg Myers, a former player in the National Football League.
• Sophia Smith, a soccer player for the NWSL and the United States national team.
• Jaelin Howell, a soccer player for the NWSL.
• Dan Meis, a famous sports architect, was born in Windsor.

See also

In Spanish: Windsor (Colorado) para niños