We are looking for tour guides at the Northfield Historical Society to tell our story of the bank that was robbed by the James and Younger Gang.  We call ourselves the Adult Posse and are always looking for new members to help spread the word about the momentous events in Northfield on September 7, 1876.

Those interested in the Adult Posse meet for training one day a week (Tuesdays) for one and a half hours.  The training sessions begin April 2nd and run to the end of May.  We will have lively discussions about the James and Younger Gang, from their violent background to their association with Minnesota and beyond.  You don’t have to be a history buff to join.  All that is required is an interest in telling our story to visitors from all over the world.  Please consider joining our posse so we can nab all those visitors riding into Northfield and tell them our story of this unique town and its brave citizens.  If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a tour guide in the Northfield Historical Society or wish more information, please contact Earl Weinmann (507.645-9488).

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.

The Northfield Historical Society will host The Venerable Canon Benjamin Scott on February 21 at 6:00 p.m.  Scott will speak on the role Bishop Henry Whipple played in the 1862 US Dakota War.

Whipple was Minnesota’s first Episcopal Bishop.  He came to this state in 1859 with his wife Cornelia and six children.  When the fighting broke out in August of 1862 Whipple returned home from Northern Minnesota as fast as possible.  He had seen the conflict coming since the signing of the Treaty Traverse des Sioux when many promises were broken.  He went to St. Peter were many injured were taken and he served as nurse and chaplain.

After the fighting Whipple would play an important role in negotiating terms for the over 300 Dakota that were sentence to death, he would get that number down to 39.  He would also play an important role for finding a home for the Dakota after the conflict.

The program is the final event in NHS’s 7 month observation of the 1862 US-Dakota War.  After the program the exhibit 1862 Through Rice County’s Eyes will be taken down.  This will be your last chance to see the exhibit.

For more information please call NHS at 507-645-9268 or email us at northifeldhistory.org.

The Northfield Historical Society is located at 408 Division Street in downtown Northfield.

We are proud to present “Hops, Grapes & History,” a benefit event on Saturday, March 2 at the Grand Event Center in Northfield.

The evening includes a beer and wine tasting from 6 to 8 p.m., featuring a hand-selected variety of Minnesota craft beers and wines; hors d’oeuvres; and a silent auction with a chance to bid on numerous goods and services from local businesses. Then from 9 to 11:30 p.m., the event concludes with a not-to-be-missed performance of “Guaranteed Cash,” a tribute to the songs and sounds of Johnny Cash, performed by legendary guitarist Bob Wootten (lead guitarist for Johnny Cash’s band for over thirty years) and country rockers, Six Mile Grove.

You can buy tickets here!

Bob Wootton, known as “the man behind the man in black,” played lead guitar for Johnny Cash from 1968-1998. His first album recorded and released with Cash was live from San Quentin in 1969. Listen closely as one of the inmates yells, “Where’s Luther, Johnny?” Cash then explains that Luther Perkins had passed away a few months before, and that a new guitarist had joined the band. That man was Bob Wootten.

As part of the original “Tennessee Three,” Wootton has performed all over the world, from Folsom Prison to Madison Square Garden to the White House and to Buckingham Palace. With Cash’s band, Wootten has shared the stage with country legends Carl Perkins, The Statlers, and the Carter Family, and has appeared on PBS’ “Austin City Limits.” Few people know Johnny Cash and his music as closely as Wootton does.

Wootton returned to the stage in January 2004, headlining a sold-out, weekend-long Cash tribute at The Cabooze in Minneapolis. He has since been making regular appearances, sharing the stage with southern Minnesota’s own, Six Mile Grove, who back Wootton and serve as his opening act. Critically-acclaimed throughout the Midwest for over a decade, Six Mile Grove’s energetic style is the perfect compliment to Wootton’s laid-back stage presence. Along with Wootten, Six Mile Grove’s brand of ballads and story-driven songs pay tribute to the simplicity and genius of Johnny Cash.

Jack Sparks, of the Minneapolis City Pages comments: “[Wootton] own[s] the stage like a pro… authenticity rocks.” Learn more about Bob Wootten and Six Mile Grove at www.sixmilegrove.com.

Proceeds from the event will support NHS. Admission to all scheduled activities (including the beer/wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, silent auction, and “Guaranteed Cash”) is $40 per person or $70 per couple. NHS members will receive a $5 discount on their admission.

For those who choose to attend “Guaranteed Cash” only, doors will open at 8:30 p.m. and the music will begin at 9 p.m. Admission to the music-only portion of the evening is $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

This event is made possible with support from By All Means Graphics, College City Beverage, Firehouse Liquor, The Grand Event Center, The Hideaway, Hvistendahl Moersch Dorsey & Hahn, KYMN Radio, Northfield Lines, Northfield News, and the Sketchy Artist.

Advance tickets are available now in person and online at KYMN Radio, 200 Division Street (www.kymnradio.net); the Northfield Historical Society, 408 Division Street (www.northfieldhistory.org); The Grand Event Center, 316 Washington Street South (www.thegrandnorthfield.com); and the Sketchy Artist, 300 Division Street.

If you have any questions feel free to call us at 507-645-9268.

Due to a scheduling conflict, the Bishop Whipple Program that was scheduled for tomorrow, January 17 has been moved to February 21.  We apologize for any confusion.  A mailer will be sent to all members with the correct date.

The store and the museum hours are:

Christmas Eve, Open
Christmas Day, Closed
New Year’s Eve, Open
New Year’s Day, Closed

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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

 
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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.

The Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) is hosting a couple  listening sessions on the Arts and Culture Heritage Fund.  MHS would like public input on what history should look like in 20 years.  So please consider attending one of these sessions.  Many local history organizations in Rice County including NHS have benefited greatly from these funds.  Please consider attending and giving input.

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.

“Dear Santa, Mama Wants Hat Pins, Papa, One Mule: A Compilation of Letters from the Northfield News, 1902-1945,” the fourth book in the award-winning Northfield History Series, will be released Nov. 19. Copies will be available for sale at the Northfield Historical Society (NHS) Museum Store. Books are also available for online purchase through the museum store at www.northfieldhistory.org.

Jeff Sauve, St. Olaf College Associate Archivist and longtime member of NHS, who compiled the book said, “In her column, Maggie Lee would often reprint letters to Santa. I always enjoyed reading them, so I thought we should compile some of them into a book. They provide a social and historical perspective not often considered. Hopefully this little volume will provide a joyous reflection of Christmases past as well as a richer understanding of a child’s spirit that resides within each of us.”

Notable Northfield names that grace the book’s pages, include: DeMann, Drentlaw, Flaten, Holden, Revier, Roe, Tschan and Zanmiller. Selections were made based on humor or uniqueness. For example, George Ebling wrote, “My dear Santy: Please bring me just pie this Christmas. I love pie and lots of it. Maybe a few nuts and candy. I am your dear little friend, George Ebling. I am 8 years old and mamma’s only boy. I just live a few miles west of Dundas. Good by.”

NHS will hold a book signing Thursday, Dec. 13 at 6:00 p.m. at the Museum Store. A signing will also be held Dec. 19 at 3 p.m. at the Northfield Senior Center.

The Northfield History Series continues to be strongly supported by the family of Barbara A. Will, who was a member of the NHS board and past president of the organization.