NORTHFIELD, MINNESOTA

'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.

Contents

History

Geography

Demographics

Economy

Commerce and industry

Tourism

Government and politics

Education

Arts and culture

Notable people, past and present

References

External links

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. It has never been immune to economic and cultural change. 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.
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. (See Tourism section below).
The 1970s were a time of expansion of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area south of the Minnesota River. The completion of Interstate Highway 35 (6 miles west of Northfield via Minnesota State Highway 19) and the opening of the Burnsville Center shopping mall in 1977 were major milestones. Northfield has experienced an inexorable 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. The opening of the Mall of America in Bloomington, 30 miles directly north of the town, has hastened the changes. With direct highway connections to the southern Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, 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 and thus a part of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Its location is, in part, meant to attract patients from the rapidly growing southern suburbs and, in part, to take advantage of higher government health care reimbursements available to urban hospitals.
Other main street changes have come with larger economic developments. Old "main street" businesses have been replaced by specialty shops. The evolution of Northfield's economy is today exemplified by the 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 are all signs of the vitality of the economy. Development of a residential and commercial project along the river on the north edge of downtown is another sign of economic growth.
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 built 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 and parking.
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

Commerce and industry

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, yet seems to be just the right size. This formed the start of one of the nicest downtowns of any city.

Tourism

The Northfield Convention and Visitors Bureau provides comprehensive tourism information and visit planning services.
The foiled attempt by the outlaw Jesse James and the 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.
One result of the attempted bank robbery by the James-Younger gang is an outdoor festival, ''The Defeat of Jesse James Days'', The Defeat of Jesse James Days Celebration 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.
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

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.

Arts and culture

Notable people, past and present

★ Peter Agre, Nobel laureate

★ Cyril Archibald, member of Canadian Parliament

★ 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

External links

★ City of Northfield

★ Northfield.org

★ Northfield Convention and Visitors Bureau