Named for General Winlock W. Miller, one of the first Federal officers sent to the Territory for service during the Native American uprising. In the 1940s, displayed prominently near the highway crossing and the depot, a large white-painted egg advertised the fact that Winlock was the shipping point and center of one or the most productive egg- and poultry-producing districts in western Washington. A cluster of stores along the main street bids for the trade of rich Olequa Valley.

Winlock is mostly famous for having the World’s Largest Egg, reflecting its former status as a major producer of eggs. Early in its history, Winlock attracted many immigrants from Finland, Sweden and Germany.