Winigan, Missouri facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Winigan, Missouri
Census-Designated Place
Location of Winigan in Missouri
Country	United States
State	Missouri
County	Sullivan
Area
• Total	0.50 sq mi (1.30 km2)
• Land	0.50 sq mi (1.29 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation	997 ft (304 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	37
• Density	74.30/sq mi (28.66/km2)
FIPS code	29-80440
GNIS feature ID	2587124

Winigan is a small community in the southeastern part of Sullivan County, Missouri, in the United States. It is located on Missouri Route 129. The community is about 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Milan. The county line between Sullivan and Linn counties is just half a mile south.

Winigan's Early Days and Naming

The land where Winigan now stands was first claimed from the U.S. government in 1857. A man named Noah Harl obtained it. Over time, the land changed owners several times. Eventually, it came into the hands of James M. Thrasher.

The town of Winigan was officially planned in February 1880. It covered an area of six blocks on Thrasher's land. Before the town was laid out, a post office had already opened in 1874. Mr. Van Klelsie was the first postmaster.

How Winigan Got Its Name

Local stories say the town was named after a Mr. Winnegan. He was an early settler in southern Sullivan County. Sadly, he was killed by a panther in the 1840s.

Life and Growth in Winigan

The first store in Winigan opened in 1878. By 1888, about twenty-five families lived there. For many years, Winigan was important for serving the farms in southeastern Sullivan County.

To help the farmers, Winigan once had many businesses. These included two dry goods stores and two blacksmith shops. There was also a drug store and a special mill. This mill could both saw wood and grind grain.

Community Events and Festivals

In the mid-to-late 1900s, a large turkey farm and hatchery was run by the Borron family near Winigan. For many years, Winigan was famous for its community street fair. This fair was one of the longest-running in northern Missouri. It happened every year on the first weekend in August for over sixty years.

A very special event was the Winigan Centennial in 1973. This celebration marked 100 years since the town's founding. Over 5,000 people came to enjoy the festivities. Today, Winigan still hosts the Winigan Strawberry Festival every June. The Winigan 4-H Fair has also been held every year since 1938.

Winigan's Bank Incidents

Winigan has had two instances of bank robberies. The first happened on December 19, 1945. Three armed men took over $6,000 from the Citizen's Bank of Winigan. A quick-thinking town merchant named Ivan Cable helped stop them. He let the air out of a tire on the robbers' getaway car.

The robbers tried to drive away but soon left the car. They escaped on foot. However, they were caught later that night at a nearby farmhouse. Two of the men were arrested. The third person took their own life.

The second bank robbery occurred on July 2, 2009. Two men held up the Winigan branch of the Bank of Brookfield-Purdin. They got away with some cash. Later, these two men were caught and faced charges for several similar bank thefts.

Population of Winigan

As of 2020, the population of Winigan was 37 people.

Famous People from Winigan

• Bud Houser: He was a famous athlete who won three Olympic gold medals.

See also

• In Spanish: Winigan (Misuri) para niños