1862Military
The Dakota War of 1862 left the township abandoned for several years.
1869Infrastructure
The advent of the railroad in Kandiyohi County in 1869 brought new settlers.
1870Infrastructure
In 1870, Leon (Chadwick) Willmar, a Belgian acting as an agent for the European bondholder of the Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad, bought the title to Section 1 of Willmar Towns...
1871Government
Willmar was established as the county seat in 1871 and was incorporated as a village in 1874 and as a city in 1901.
1930Crime
Willmar was the site of a bank robbery by the Machine Gun Kelly gang on July 15, 1930.
1938Architecture
The Willmar Memorial Auditorium, designed by architect William Ingemann, was the largest assembly hall within 70 miles when completed in 1938.
1977History
From 1977 to 1979, Willmar was the site of the Willmar 8, a strike of female workers confronting sexual discrimination at a local bank.
1979History
The last passenger train left Willmar station in 1979.
1982Culture
Willmar was home to the annual Sonshine Festival, a Christian music festival, from 1982 to 2014.
1989Economy
=== Immigration ===
Since 1989, Willmar has had a large influx of immigrants from Latin America and Northeast Africa, mostly due to demand for labor at the Jennie-O poultry plant.
2000History
=== 2000 census ===
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,351 people, 7,302 households, and 4,461 families living in the city.
2001Culture
In 2001, the National Civic League recognized Willmar as an "All America City", in part for its success as growing numbers of immigrants became part of the community.
2005Education
In 2005, the city received attention from national media after several Somali-American high school students gave Willmar High School its first cross-country state championship i...
2010History
=== Climate ===
== Demographics ==
=== 2010 census ===
As of the census of 2010, there were 19,610 people, 7,677 households, and 4,538 families living in the city.
2019History
Willmar received more national attention when an opinion piece about immigration and Willmar by Thomas Friedman appeared in the New York Times on May 14, 2019.
2025History
They robbed the Bank of Willmar (later Otto Bremer Trust) of about $70,000 (equivalent to $1,349,000 in 2025) and wounded three people.
2026Infrastructure
On January 16, 2026, national news outlets—including MS NOW—reported that U.S.