General Info
Once occupied by Indians, Cottonwood County was settled in the 1850s. It was named after the nearby Cottonwood River where cottonwood trees thrived. Officially established in 1857, permanent settlement did not begin until after the Dakota Conflict in 1862. As the railroad arrived in 1871, Cottonwood County began to grow, develop and become organized. In 1872 Windom was voted as the County Seat and a small, rented wooden building served as county offices. Agriculture dominated early industry as wheat was a primary crop. Electricity arrived to Cottonwood County in 1938 and the area continued to grow as a farming community. Today Cottonwood County is home to approximately 11,283 residents.
