Formerly known as “Puckerbrush”, Robert Clark the official founder/surveyor deemed it “Forest City” because it was cut right out of the trees.

[1] The population started to grow when immigrants from Sweden and Norway settled in the Forest City area because of the similar topography.

Although the Civil War stunted the area's growth, many immigrants found the city attractive.

Later on churches, banks, a college (Waldorf University), electricity, and the telephone turned Forest City into an ideal country town.

In 1960, investors took over a failing travel trailer factory and created Winnebago Industries, creating what would become one of the largest employers in the region and causing the population to grow.

Winnebago's corporate headquarters were later relocated to Eden Prairie, Minnesota causing the population to decline.

[6][7][8] Forest City's longitude and latitude coordinatesin decimal form are 43.262077, -93.640302.

[9] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.64 square miles (12.02 km2), all land.

The headquarters of Winnebago Industries, a manufacturer of motorhomes founded by local resident John K. Hanson,[17] was located in Forest City.

In August, 2021, Winnebago announced that it will be moving its corporate headquarters to Eden Prairie, Minnesota, effective December 1, but that the company's manufacturing presence will be maintained in Forest City.

Forest City has a disc golf course consisting of 21 holes.

[20][21] Forest City is the home of Waldorf University, a four-year liberal arts, for-profit university, owned by Mayes Education Inc.[22] The Forest City Municipal Airport located 2 miles south of the Forest City business district serves general aviation in the area.