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Winterset is the county seat of Madison County.
Our office at 124 W. Court Ave. is located in the city’s restored Carnegie Library building.
The most recent census shows our population to be 5,190. Whether you’re a resident or a visitor, we’re glad you visited our page! Stop by frequently for the latest news and information, and follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter for announcements.
The Winterset City Hall is the home base for many of the city services: Municipal Utilities, which handles water and electric, Park & Recreation, Code Enforcement, Building Inspections, and Administrative Services, which handles the daily operations of the city. And, of course, City Hall is the information hub for just about any other question you may need to know about the city of Winterset. The friendly, knowledgeable staff here welcome the opportunity to assist you!
Phil Macumber, Mayor
I want to welcome you to Winterset. I have recently been elected as your Mayor after serving the last fourteen years on your city council. You should know that I am a 5th generation Madison County resident. My great-great grandfather John Macumber homesteaded southwest of Winterset in 1853. Since then, my ancestors have been involved in Madison County and Winterset activities. I have continuously lived in this area except for stints at Iowa State University and serving in the US Army. My wife Shirley and I have lived on West Court Avenue for the last sixteen years. I am retired from the US Army, serving thirty-two years total and twenty-four years active duty. Both my sons, Kirk and Greg and their families live in Winterset and my daughter Janice Hutchison and her family live just outside the city on the Cumming Highway. My step-children, Brad Tyer and Karna Jakobs, also live in Winterset with their families.
I believe Winterset is and will continue to be a vibrant community. The 2020 census should put our population at or near the 6,000 mark. Quite a change from the sleepy 3,000 or so when I graduated from high school here in 1967. I believe that our city government is charged with oversight of the growth of Winterset. We are going to grow, we have no choice, since West Des Moines is expanding toward us. While we grow, we must strive to maintain our historic significance while welcoming new businesses and citizens to our community. As your Mayor, I look forward to being a factor in the growth and success of our city.
Andrew (Drew) Barden, MPA
City Administrator
Welcome to Winterset! This historic town will invite you in and with our numerous landmarks, history, and famous people and movies. We are home to the John Wayne Birthplace & Museum, drawing thousands of visitors from around the world. Numerous iconic movie sets are around town and surrounding rural Madison County; most notably the “The Bridges of Madison County.”
The City offers the best of both new and old; a short 35-minute commute from the state’s capitol city to our hometown pride and small-town values.
Winterset is modernizing and growing into the future. We have a planned runway expansion and industrial park at the regional airport, residential housing developments, commercial land development, recent community school renovation and modernization, and an active and growing Chamber of Commerce.
Winterset offers amenities including an aquatics center, a modern library, and city parks with attractions such as Clark Tower, Cutler-Donahoe Covered Bridge, Cedar Lake and the Jurgensen Bridge.
Civic organizations active and contributing to the betterment of the community are the VFW Post, American Legion Post, Rotary, Optimists, Lions club, Friends of the Library, KIWANIS, Madison County Leadership Group, and more.
The iconic Courthouse in our City’s town square was designed by architect Alfred H. Piquenard, who along with John C. Cochrane, was also responsible for the designs of the Illinois and Iowa State Capitols. Currently, the courthouse and numerous downtown buildings have been preserved and restored to their original glory through philanthropy and grant-funded facade projects. City Hall is located at 124 W. Court Ave.