Editing Windthorst, Texas

{{short description|Town in Archer and Clay counties in Texas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Windthorst, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| image_skyline      = St. Marys Catholic Church, Windthorst, Texas (8417596822).jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = St. Marys Catholic Church, August 2012
<!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = TXMap-doton-Windthorst.PNG
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Windthorst, Texas
| image_map1         = Archer Windthorst.svg
| mapsize1           = 250px
<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Texas|Counties]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Archer County, Texas|Archer]], [[Clay County, Texas|Clay]]
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 6.64
| area_land_km2      = 6.48
| area_water_km2     = 0.16
| area_total_sq_mi   = 2.56
| area_land_sq_mi    = 2.50
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.06
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 342
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| population_density_km2 = auto
<!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_ft       = 1034
| coordinates        = {{coord|33|35|N|98|26|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 76389
| area_code          = [[Area code 940|940]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-79696<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2413497<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2413497}}</ref>
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Windthorst''' is a town in [[Archer County, Texas|Archer]] and [[Clay County, Texas|Clay]] counties in [[Texas]], United States. It is part of the [[Wichita Falls, Texas]] [[Wichita Falls metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. The population was 342 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. The town is named for [[Ludwig Windthorst]], a Catholic statesman in [[Germany]].

Windthorst is the home of the St. Mary's Grotto, a [[Roman Catholic]] outdoor shrine, which was paid for with money sent home by 64 military service members from Windthorst who served in World War II.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM655Y_St_Marys_Catholic_Church_Windthorst_Texas|title=St Mary's Catholic Church - Windthorst, Texas  - Outdoor Altars on Waymarking.com|work=waymarking.com}}</ref> All of the 64 returned home.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-102703851.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104035624/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-102703851.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 4, 2012|title=The grotto at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Windthorst, Texas. The grotto was dedicated in 1950 to "Our Lady of Perpetual Help" in honor of 64 veterans that served in World War II. They all returned f|work=highbeam.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://houseofkaos.blogspot.com/2006/01/windthorst-grotto.html|title=The International House of Kaos|author=YankeeTexan|work=houseofkaos.blogspot.com}}</ref><ref>[http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/longterm/stories/010806dnlivgrotto.302df79.html Dallas Morning News]</ref> A new entrance to the shrine was constructed in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8109121.stm|title=BBC NEWS - Programmes - From Our Own Correspondent - The hero who casts a long shadow|work=bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Windthorst, Texas General Store 1921.JPG|thumb|left|Windthorst General Store (established {{circa|1921}}), November 2025]]

Windthorst is located in northern Texas, primarily in eastern Archer County but extending eastward into Clay County. [[U.S. Route 281 in Texas|U.S. Route 281]] passes through the center of the town, leading north {{convert|25|mi}} to [[Wichita Falls, Texas|Wichita Falls]] and southeast {{convert|33|mi}} to [[Jacksboro, Texas|Jacksboro]]. [[Texas State Highway 25]] leads west from the center of Windthorst {{convert|11|mi}} to [[Archer City, Texas|Archer City]], the Archer County seat.

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], Windthorst has a total area of {{convert|6.6|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|6.5|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.2|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 2.35%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web |title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Windthorst town, Texas |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4879696 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212202744/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4879696 |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |access-date=August 23, 2013 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population|align=left
| 1970 = 377
| 1980 = 409
| 1990 = 367
| 2000 = 440
| 2010 = 409
| 2020 = 342
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census">{{cite web |date=May 2023 |title=Census Bureau profile: Windthorst, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/all?q=Windthorst%20town,%20Texas |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=Jun 10, 2024}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 509
people, 154 households, and 119 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|175.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 162 housing units at an average density of {{convert|64.8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the town was 83.86% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.23% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 14.09% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.82% from two or more races. 23.41% of the population were [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 154 households, out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 1.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 31.8% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,708, and the median income for a family was $45,000. Males had a median income of $30,833 versus $17,917 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $16,146. About 6.5% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Windthorst is served by the [[Windthorst Independent School District]]. [[Windthorst High School]] is a [[University Interscholastic League]] Class A school in education and sports. The school has won state championships in volleyball, football, baseball, softball, and track; its most recent championship is the 2020 Class 2A-D2 Football State Championship.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}}

==Notable person==
* [[Hank Gremminger]], American football player who played on three title-winning teams for the [[Green Bay Packers]] during the 1960s

==See also==
{{portal|Texas}}
* [[List of municipalities in Texas]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Windthorst, Texas}}
* [http://www.windthorstisd.net Windthorst Independent School District]
* [https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hlw39 Handbook of Texas Online: Windthorst, Texas]


{{Archer County, Texas}}
{{Clay County, Texas}}

{{authority control}}


[[Category:Towns in Archer County, Texas]]
[[Category:Towns in Clay County, Texas]]
[[Category:Towns in Texas]]
[[Category:Wichita Falls metropolitan area]]