Northfield is a city mostly in Rice County, Minnesota, in the United States. The population was 17,147 at the 2000 census. A small part of the city extends into Dakota County.
History
Northfield was founded by John W. North in 1855. Early industry included lumber and
flour mills powered by the Cannon River, which flows through town.
Northfield was at one time an agricultural center serving first wheat, then corn farms. The "wheat frontier" moved west, and dairy operations and other more diversified farms
replaced wheat-based agriculture. The region now produces substantial amounts of corn,
soybeans, and hogs. Dairy and beef
operations are still present though not in the numbers they once were. Malt-O-Meal, a
breakfast cereal maker, is what remains of the milling industry. When the factory cooks malt, the aromas bathe the town.
Since very early in its history, Northfield has been a center of higher education. Carleton
College (then Northfield College) was founded in 1866 on the north edge of town by New
England Congregationalists, like those who had established Harvard more than 200 years earlier. St. Olaf College was created in 1874 on the western edge of town by
Norwegian Lutheran immigrant pastors and farmers eager to preserve their faith and culture by training teachers and preachers.
These two institutions, which today enroll a total of more than 5,000 students, have had a major influence on the makeup of
Northfield. The city's motto, proudly displayed on signs at two of the highway entrances to town, is "Cows, Colleges, and
Contentment." There are more pigs than cows in Northfield today, but there are still two colleges.
In the 1970s the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro
area expanded south of the Minnesota River. The completion of Interstate Highway 35 (6 miles west of Northfield via Minnesota State Highway 19) was a major milestone. Northfield has experienced an erosion of
what remained of its agricultural makeup since then. The downtown grain elevator accepted its last load of corn in
2000 and was torn down in 2002. Residential growth has been rapid since the mid-1990s. Northfield
is becoming a suburb and bedroom community on the southern fringe of the metropolitan
area. A new hospital, which opened in 2003 in the northwest corner of town, is actually in Dakota County.
Many of the buildings in downtown Northfield are reasonably well-preserved examples of late 19th/early 20th century
architecture. Because of early economic successes, stability provided by two thriving colleges, and the abilities of business
owners and entrepreneurs to adapt to changing conditions, the downtown is more extensive and better maintained than that of
otherwise similar communities in Southern Minnesota and Iowa. Today, commercial development
continues on the southern edge of the city, where there is room for growth.
See also Timeline of Northfield, Minnesota history.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area
of 18.2 km² (7.0 mi²). 18.1 km² (7.0 mi²) of it is
land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.43%) is water. Roughly speaking, the town is centered around the Cannon River and rises both to the east and the west away from this bisecting river body.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000,
there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 947.1/km² (2,452.2/mi²). There were 5,119 housing units at an average density
of 282.8/km² (732.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.57% White, 0.90% African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.36% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.78% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.73% of the population.
There were 4,909 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were
non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or
older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.2% under the age of 18, 32.1% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 16.1% from
45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males.
For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $49,972, and the median income for a family was $61,055. Males had a median
income of $40,008 versus $28,456 for females. The per capita income for the city was
$18,619. About 2.8% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty
line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Early in its history the merchants agreed to create a small downtown square, between Fourth Street (north), Division Street
(east), the Cannon River (west) and the fronts of the stores on the south. The old Ames
Mill/Malt-O-Meal plant is located on the opposite side of the river, powered by a dam
located on the river right there. Bridge Square is smaller than many courthouse or city center squares. This formed the start of
one of the nicest downtowns of any city. Old "main street" businesses have recently been
replaced by specialty shops.
There is an expansion of businesses serving the growing senior citizen market. The Village on the Cannon, Millstream Commons,
and new construction at the Northfield Retirement Center complex. Development of a residential and commercial project along the
river on the north edge of downtown is another sign of economic growth.
The foiled attempt by the outlaw Jesse James and the James-Younger Gang to rob the First National Bank of Northfield serves as a tourist draw for the
town. The original bank building, which still exists, has been converted to a museum operated by the Northfield Historical Society. A skeleton supposedly of a
gang member was displayed in the museum for many years and is still in storage there. The First National Bank of Northfield is
still in operation, although the main office is now a half a block away from the original site. In its front lobby, a glass case
showcases a gun used during the attempted robbery. The Northfield Convention and Visitors Bureau provides comprehensive tourism information and visit planning services.
Arts and culture
Defeat of Jesse James Days
On September 7, 1876, Northfield experienced one of its
most important historical events. An outlaw gang led by Jesse James tried to rob the First
National Bank of Northfield. (Historians disagree whether James himself was present.) Local citizens, recognizing what was
happening, armed themselves and resisted the robbers, successfully thwarting the theft, but not before the bank's cashier,
Joseph Lee Heywood (who also served as Northfield's and Carleton College's treasurer)
and a Swedish immigrant, Nicolaus Gustavson, were murdered. A couple of the James-Younger
gang were killed in the street, while the rest of the Gang (except for Jesse and Frank James, who reportedly escaped),
were cornered near Madelia, Minnesota, and were either killed or taken into custody. The failed raid has sometimes been called
the last major event of the American Civil War. The event has become a major
tourist draw for the city.
One result of the attempted bank robbery by the James-Younger gang is an outdoor
festival, The Defeat of Jesse James Days,[1]
held the weekend after Labor Day every year to commemorate the event. The festival is among the largest outdoor celebrations in
Minnesota. Thousands of visitors witness reenactments of the robbery, watch championship rodeo, enjoy a carnival, watch the
parade, explore arts and crafts expositions, and attend musical performances.
A number of films have been made of the attempted robbery. One of the best known is the 1972 film The Great Northfield, Minnesota Raid, which portrayed the bedraggled James brothers riding off into the
mountains west of town. In reality the mountains are about 1,200 miles west of town.
Park and recreation
The Carleton College Cowling Arboretum is a sizeable,
well-established arboretum and nature preserve adjacent to Carleton College that offers extensive trails for walking in the summer and cross-country skiing in the
winter.
Government and politics
The City of Northfield operates as a Mayor-Council form of government. The City Administrator is responsible for managing
daily operations. The current mayor is Lee Lansing.[2]
Northfield is served by Minnesota State Senator Tom Neuville in District 25 and State Representative David Bly in District
25B.
Education
Northfield is home to Carleton College, on the east side of town, and
St. Olaf College, on the western side of town. These colleges account for a large
portion of the town's year-round population. Carleton sits near the center of town, while St. Olaf sits upon a hill to the west
of town. The Northfield public school district operates three elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. In
addition, Northfield is also the home of a public charter school, ARTech (grades 6–12) and Prairie Creek Community School (grades K–5) in nearby Castle Rock. Charter schools are public
schools and receive the state funding from the State of Minnesota.
Notable natives and residents
- Peter Agre, Nobel laureate
- Cyril Archibald, member of Canadian Parliament
- Ian Barbour, Winifred & Atherton Bean Professor of Science, Technology &
Society, Emeritus at Carleton College, winner of 1999 Templeton
Prize
- Paulette Carlson, country music singer
- Joel Heatwole, member of U.S.
House of Representatives
- Lucius Roy Holbrook, U.S. Army
major general
- Alexandra Holden, television and film actress
- Siri Hustvedt, novelist, poet, and essayist
- Karl Rolvaag, governor of Minnesota
- Ole Edvart Rølvaag, novelist
- Brynhild Rowberg, author and retired foreign service officer
- Mark Setterstrom, professional football player
- Edward John Thye, governor of Minnesota
- Paul Wellstone, U.S. Senator
- Charles Augustus Wheaton, major figure in the abolitionist movement and Underground Railroad
References
- ^ The
Defeat of Jesse James Days Celebration. DJJD Committee, Inc. (2006). Retrieved on 2007-09-09.
- ^ Northfield City Leadership. City of Northfield. Retrieved on September 21, 2007.
External links
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