Because of the Defeat of Jesse James Days Bank Raid reenactment we will have extend hours this Thursday, June 20th.

This is a busy week for Northfield and NHS is at the center of it.  This Thursday (May 30) is Taste of Northfield.  There is a bank raid at 7:00 p.m. that night and we will have extended hours for the museum.  In addition, St. Olaf College is having its reunion this weekend and on June 1, there will be no charge to tour the museum and there is another bank raid at 7:00 p.m.

We will have extended hours both Thursday and Saturday.

The Defeat of Jesse James Days Committee is pleased to announce that the 2013 Joseph Lee Heywood Distinguished Service Award Recipient is Emily Schmitz.

Emily has been involved in many volunteer efforts in our Northfield ranging from St Dominic Church, the Northfield Hospital Board, the League of Women voters, and many programs at the Community Action Center. At the CAC Emily has one special program that is dear to her heart and has dedicated many years to, the Christmas Sharing Program. Serving as ambassador for the CAC, she has raised thousands of dollars for the remarkable holiday gift program.

Emily and her husband Peter and have lived in Northfield since 1968. They have two children Bill and Martha.

Emily is the 31st Recipient of this very prestigious award

Emily will be honored Wednesday September 4, 2013 at the Northfield Ballroom

The Defeat of Jesse James Days Heywood Nominating Committee is always looking for new possible candidates. Please send your name and phone number with your nominee’s name (must be a Northfield MN area resident) and their volunteer history to: Jeanne Schnobrich P.O. Box 23 Northfield, MN 55057

To read about past recipients and the annual banquet, just click here!

Museum tours will be closed on Wednesday March 13 due to filming.  NHS is going to be featured on the Travel Channel’s, Mysteries at the Museum.  If you have any questions feel free to email or call us.

The Museum Store will be open all day.

On Friday we were informed of the loss of one of our great friends, John (Jack) Koblas.  He passed away late Friday night at the age of 70. He was one of the top experts on the James-Younger Gang and their travels through Minnesota and he  published many books on that subject.

Fellow author and friend Mark Boardman said it best on Facebook.

 Jack was a prolific writer on a number of subjects and in a number of genres. But he’s best known for his outlaw-lawman books, especially on the James-Younger Gang. Minnesota was a prominent theme in his writings, and his contributions were important.
Jack was the most genial and laid-back guy you could ever meet, with a wry wit that could catch you by surprise. He never failed to help folks who needed information or a speaker or other help.
God bless you Jack, and rest in peace.

Jack was  great friend to me and the Northfield Historical Society.  He will be greatly missed!

Think about the stories of your parents, grandparents, or great grandparents that are now lost forever – their experiences living through world wars, the polio epidemic, or the Great Depression, or of immigrating to a strange new land.  We may have small snippets of our family’s history – a few snapshots of people and places we do not recognize, letters home from the war, a tattered hand-made quilt – but the personal stories behind them that bring history to life may be gone.

The four-part series, Preserving Your Family’s Stories, is a collaborative effort between the Northfield Senior Center and the Northfield History Collaborative, a program of the Northfield Historical Society to present information and guide participants in the collection and celebration of their family’s life stories.  Staff and volunteers from the Northfield, Rice County, and Minnesota Historical Societies and the Northfield Senior Center will lead the classes and provide individual assistance on each of the topics covered.  Optional additional work sessions with the presenters will be available on the Saturday following each class.  All classes will be held at the Northfield Senior Center.  The cost for all four classes and the follow-up sessions is $50 for members of the Northfield Senior Center or the Northfield Historical Society, $60 for non-members.  Individual sessions are $15/members, $20/ nonmembers.

Just step inside the Northfield Historical Society store and you’ll notice right away that they’ve got t-shirts. Lots of ‘em. That’s because everyone loves t-shirts and nobody can have too many … especially during the holidays (for giving and receiving, that is; we recommend extra layers if you choose to wear one during winter).

Options range from the classic “Get your guns boys. They’re robbing the bank!” to a funky Northfield logo from days of yore to “James-Younger Gang Bank Raid” featuring a rider and some pistols. And yes — they come in a variety of colors, with something for everyone.

And the price is right, ranging from $14.95 to $19.95.

When you’re shopping locally in Northfield, be sure to visit the Northfield Historical Society store

 
.

Due to construction in our Archives and Collection Rooms our Research Center is currently closed.  The center will re-open in early 2013.  If you have a research request please submit your question and we will do our best to respond, however, we cannot guarantee we will be able to fulfill your request until the construction is complete.

The museum and museum store are open normal business throughout the construction.

Two things we can tell you about this item:
1) We’re making up the part about Jesse James mentioning coffee when he visited Northfield in 1876.
2) It’s blue and white and holds lots of coffee (or cocoa, tea, beer, etc.).

But look closer …
This is no ordinary mug. This mug has words on the front AND the back, so no matter how it’s sitting on your table, someone will be able to read something. And who doesn’t enjoy being reminded about what happened in Northfield on that historic day 136 years ago? Surely there’s someone near and dear to you who would enjoy getting this in the mail (we can pack it in a box for you) or seeing it under their Christmas tree … all for just $9.95

When you’re shopping locally in Northfield, be sure to visit the Northfield Historical Society store at 408 Division Street in historic downtown.

The Northfield Historical Society will be closed on Thanksgiving.  However the Museum Store and the exhibits will be open on November 23.  Our research library is closed from November 22-25.