The company was founded in February 1958 by businessman John K. Hanson in Forest City, which is located in Winnebago County, Iowa. At the time, the town was undergoing an economic downturn.
Surviving a rough beginning, the entire operation was purchased by five Midwesterners, with Hanson serving as president. In 1960 the name of the company was changed to Winnebago Industries.
To improve quality, Winnebago Industries manufactured furniture and other components designed specifically for its travel trailers.
In 1966 the first motor home rolled off the Winnebago Industries assembly lines.These motor homes were sold at a price approximately half of what was being charged for competitors’ models, which led to its ubiquity and popularity in the RV community. The brand name has become synonymous with "motor home" and is commonly used as a generic term for such vehicles, whether they were produced by the company or not.
Through the 70s and into the 80s model names were influenced by the Native American tribe of the same name and included the Brave, Chief Black Hawk, the Indian, the Chieftan, and the Warrior.In 1973, the company introduced a new model, the Minnie Winnie, built on the Dodge B-series van chassis. It was about 19-1/2 feet (5.9 m) long (despite the name, longer than the shortest contemporary Brave model). Longer models were added through the years. This model continued (using Chevrolet or Ford chassis after 1980) until the name was retired after the 2006 model year, when at 30 feet (9.1 m), it wasn't exactly "minnie" anymore.As gas prices went up over time, the company made smaller models available, such as the "Winnie Wagon," with a low profile and pop-top.
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