April 6, 2017 marks the day the United States officially declared war on Germany and entered World War I. By that time, however, the war had already touched the lives of those living in Northfield. Young graduates from Northfield High School had enlisted before the official declaration and stories of their adventures had be
en reported to the Northfield News and Northfield Independent. The newspapers also reported on the couple men working in Northfield who had retur
ned to their home countries to fight, one a Frenchman, the other a German. There were women, too, engaging in relief work or preparing to assist the YMCA. On April 6, 1917, no one knew how the war would unfold or how deeply it would touch their lives, but they were about to find out.
Make plans today to join the Northfield Historical Society the evening of June 29 as the newest exhibit, ‘Service and Sacrifice: Northfield in the Great War’ debuts. Until that time, be sure to keep up on our blog posts as we research the war, prepare the exhibit, and digitize those materials that best tell our story.