Eric & I stop at the Winnebago
Visitor Center.
The Museum is upstairs.
Winnebago motorhomes are featured in About Schmidt and Spaceballs. The third poster is a riff on the film, Escape to Witch Mountain... Escape to Witch Ever Mountain.
The history of Winnebago
Industries is detailed at
the Museum.
Following World War II, Northern Iowa experienced a steep decline among young workers. They were moving elsewhere for jobs in manufacturing, management, etc. Community leaders started Forest City Development, Incorporated and raised funds to bring a new industry to this area. The group decided that RV manufacturing would be advantageous here and recruited managers from the California RV Industry. Modernistic Industries of Iowa was created to manufacture travel trailers in an old canning plant.
The first years were hard. There were issues with managers hired from California. By 1959, the California company had been bought out and Winnebago Industries was formed. The company continued to manufacture travel trailers.
Fire ravaged the Winnebago
Plant in September,1964.
Ground was broken for a new
RV manufacturing plant
in October, 1964.
Winnebago Industries travel trailers sold well. The company's dedication manufacturing high quality trailers made its RVs top sellers from year to year. Winnebago's manufacturing plant grew to meet growing demand.
Some of the memorabilia
created for Winnebago
Industries over the years.
Models of 1970s
motorhomes
Fashion models show off
outfits made with fabrics
used in Winnebago RVs.
Walls of RV Industry Awards
Sales of Winnebago RVs
are strong from the 1960s
& grew phenomenally
through the early 2000s.
Winnebago Industries has been a major employer in Northern Iowa for over 50 years. The company weathered the Great Recession that started in 2008 because it had diversified and was also making delivery trucks. Winnebago continued to make motorhomes, in smaller numbers, for the next five years.
Many RV manufacturers went out of business during the protracted economic downturn. Winnebago was able to grab more of the market because they had weathered the storm. The RV market heated up again in 2013 and Winnebago was ready to meet the demand. Besides motorhomes, Winnebago now offers travel trailers and fifth wheels.
Since the 1970s Winnebago
Industries has sponsored a
travel club for Winnebago
owners.
There are over 100 clubs
across the United States
& Canada.
Each year, in July, Winnebago Industries sponsors the Grand National Rally at their River Oaks Rally Grounds. Each year over 1,000 RVs come to the Forest City rally. RVers make new friends, renew friendships, have fun and learn about their RVs and RV related issues at numerous seminars.
Forest City welcomes RVers from near and far and everyone has a good time!
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