Winterset, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Winterset, Iowa
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Madison County Courthouse in Winterset
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Location of Winterset, Iowa
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| Country | United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Madison |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.73 sq mi (12.24 km2) |
| • Land | 4.59 sq mi (11.88 km2) |
| • Water | 0.14 sq mi (0.36 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,080 ft (330 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,353 |
| • Density | 1,166.88/sq mi (450.53/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
50273
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| Area code(s) | 515 |
| FIPS code | 19-86520 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0463138 |
Winterset is a city located in Madison County, Iowa. It is also the county seat, which means it's where the main government offices for the county are. In 2020, about 5,353 people lived in Winterset.
This city is part of the larger Des Moines metropolitan area.
Contents
History of Winterset
Winterset was planned out in the summer of 1849. The weather was unusually cool that summer. Because of this, the people planning the town changed its name from "Summerset" to "Winterset."
On March 5, 2022, a powerful tornado hit areas just outside the city. Six people sadly lost their lives.
Geography and Location
Winterset is in the middle of Madison County. It sits where two main roads meet: U.S. Route 169 and Iowa State Highway 92. The Middle River flows along the south side of the city.
The city is about 30 miles southwest of Des Moines. Des Moines is the capital city of Iowa.
Winterset covers a total area of about 4.72 square miles (12.24 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Climate
Winterset has a type of weather called a hot-summer humid continental climate. This means it has warm, humid summers and cold winters. It gets a good amount of rain and snow throughout the year.
| Climate data for Winterset, Iowa, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–2017 | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F | 67 | 79 | 90 | 93 | 105 | 105 | 111 | 112 | 103 | 93 | 82 | 69 | 112 |
| Mean maximum °F | 54.2 | 58.9 | 75.3 | 83.2 | 86.3 | 91.2 | 94.8 | 94.1 | 89.4 | 82.2 | 68.8 | 56.5 | 96.4 |
| Mean daily maximum °F | 29.9 | 34.8 | 47.6 | 60.5 | 70.8 | 80.0 | 83.8 | 82.3 | 75.6 | 63.3 | 48.1 | 35.1 | 59.3 |
| Daily mean °F | 19.9 | 24.0 | 36.2 | 48.0 | 59.4 | 69.2 | 73.0 | 70.9 | 63.1 | 50.8 | 37.1 | 25.5 | 48.1 |
| Mean daily minimum °F | 9.8 | 13.2 | 24.8 | 35.4 | 48.0 | 58.3 | 62.2 | 59.4 | 50.6 | 38.3 | 26.0 | 15.9 | 36.8 |
| Mean minimum °F | −10.3 | −6.9 | 6.3 | 21.5 | 34.9 | 45.8 | 52.0 | 49.1 | 34.6 | 22.7 | 10.2 | −5.9 | −14.5 |
| Record low °F | −34 | −31 | −35 | 10 | 24 | 34 | 40 | 37 | 24 | 3 | −8 | −25 | −35 |
| Average precipitation inches | 0.78 | 1.28 | 2.12 | 3.59 | 4.99 | 4.64 | 4.10 | 3.62 | 3.60 | 2.88 | 1.96 | 1.23 | 34.79 |
| Average snowfall inches | 7.3 | 8.3 | 4.7 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 5.9 | 30.7 |
| Record high °C | 19 | 26 | 32 | 34 | 41 | 41 | 44 | 44 | 39 | 34 | 28 | 21 | 44 |
| Mean daily maximum °C | −1.2 | 1.6 | 8.7 | 15.8 | 21.6 | 26.7 | 28.8 | 27.9 | 24.2 | 17.4 | 8.9 | 1.7 | 15.2 |
| Daily mean °C | −6.7 | −4.4 | 2.3 | 8.9 | 15.2 | 20.7 | 22.8 | 21.6 | 17.3 | 10.4 | 2.8 | −3.6 | 8.9 |
| Mean daily minimum °C | −12.3 | −10.4 | −4.0 | 1.9 | 8.9 | 14.6 | 16.8 | 15.2 | 10.3 | 3.5 | −3.3 | −8.9 | 2.7 |
| Record low °C | −37 | −35 | −37 | −12 | −4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | −4 | −16 | −22 | −32 | −37 |
| Average precipitation mm | 20 | 33 | 54 | 91 | 127 | 118 | 104 | 92 | 91 | 73 | 50 | 31 | 884 |
| Average snowfall cm | 19 | 21 | 12 | 2.0 | 0.25 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 6.9 | 15 | 78.45 |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 5.2 | 5.6 | 7.3 | 10.3 | 11.9 | 10.2 | 9.5 | 8.8 | 7.4 | 7.7 | 5.9 | 6.2 | 96 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 3.6 | 4.0 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 4.3 | 15.7 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service (mean maxima and minima 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
People of Winterset (Demographics)
| Historical populations | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1860 | 915 | — |
| 1870 | 1,485 | +62.3% |
| 1880 | 2,583 | +73.9% |
| 1890 | 2,281 | −11.7% |
| 1900 | 3,039 | +33.2% |
| 1910 | 2,818 | −7.3% |
| 1920 | 2,906 | +3.1% |
| 1930 | 2,921 | +0.5% |
| 1940 | 3,631 | +24.3% |
| 1950 | 3,570 | −1.7% |
| 1960 | 3,639 | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 3,654 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 4,021 | +10.0% |
| 1990 | 4,196 | +4.4% |
| 2000 | 4,768 | +13.6% |
| 2010 | 5,190 | +8.9% |
| 2020 | 5,353 | +3.1% |
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In 2020, Winterset had 5,353 people living in 2,231 households. About 27.8% of these households had children under 18. The average age of people in Winterset was 40.1 years.
About 26.7% of the residents were under 20 years old. Also, 20.9% were 65 years or older. The city's population was made up of 47.5% males and 52.5% females.
Arts and Culture
Winterset is famous for its beautiful covered bridges. There are six covered bridges in Madison County. One of them is right in Winterset City Park. Every October, the city holds an annual Covered Bridge Festival. This festival celebrates the bridges and the area's history.
The Winterset Stage is a local theater group. They put on family-friendly dinner shows, including musicals and concerts. They also have programs and classes for children interested in theater. The Winterset Stage is a non-profit organization.
Another important landmark is Clark Tower. It is located in Winterset City Park. From the tower, you can see amazing views of the Middle River Valley.
The Madison County Courthouse is in the center of the town square. It was first built in 1868. After a fire, it was rebuilt in 1876.
Museums to Visit
- John Wayne Birthplace Museum: This museum opened in 2015. It is located near the house where famous actor John Wayne was born. The museum has many items from his life and movies. You can see scripts, costumes, movie props, and even a special car he owned. The museum is divided into sections about his acting career, his family life, and his image as an American icon.
- Iowa Quilt Museum: This museum shows off beautiful quilts. It has different exhibits throughout the year and offers workshops where you can learn to quilt. The museum is on the south side of the town square.
- Madison County Historical Society: This is a large complex with a museum and 14 old buildings that have been restored. The main building is the Victorian Bevington Mansion, built in 1856. The mansion and other buildings show what life was like long ago. This complex is open from May through October.
Education
The Winterset Community School District runs the public schools in Winterset.
Notable People from Winterset
Many interesting people have connections to Winterset, including:
- Fred Clarke, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- John Wayne, a very famous American actor.
- Henry Cantwell Wallace, who served as the US Secretary of Agriculture.
- George L. Stout, a pioneer in art conservation and a "Monument Man" during World War II.
- Gail Huff, a broadcast journalist.
See also
In Spanish: Winterset (Iowa) para niños
