Northfield, Minnesota
Northfield is a city of 20,742 people in Dakota County, Minnesota, founded in 1855.
Why visit Northfield
Townapedia lists 21 museums and landmarks, 64 parks and trails, 64 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 11 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Waterford Bridge, Bridge No. 8096, Archibald Mill and District No. 72 School.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 5°F, and about 43 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Northfield
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Northfield
Northfield is a city in Rice County, Minnesota, United States. A small portion lies in the adjacent Dakota County. The population was 20,790 at the 2020 census. Northfield is 40 mi (64 km) south of the downtowns of Minneapolis and St.
From the Wikipedia article Northfield, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do11
Waterford Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Historic steel truss bridge over the Cannon River in Waterford Township, Minnesota
Bridgewater Produce
Farm and orchard · 1.8 mi
4706 Lonsdale Boulevard East, Northfield
Museums and landmarks21
Archibald Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Former mill building in Dundas, Minnesota
District No. 72 School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Historic school building in Waterford Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, United States
Edward T. Archibald House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
United States historic place
Goodsell Observatory
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Observatory at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota
O. E. Rolvaag House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic house in Minnesota, United States
Scoville Memorial Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic building on the campus of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, United States
Willis Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Building in Northfield, Minnesota, United States
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Ault Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
9 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds64
52 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes64
George's Vineyard
Restaurant · Pizza, Italian, Greek · 0.6 mi
1160 Highway 3, Northfield
Mo-Su 11:00-22:00
Northfield Tacos
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.5 mi
109 Water Street North
Mo-Fr 11:30-20:30; Sa 12:00-20:30
Tin Tea
Cafe · Bubble Tea, Vietnamese · 0.5 mi
420 Division Street South, Northfield
Tu-Su 08:00-20:00
B & L's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.5 mi
514 Division Street South
Tu-Sa 11:00-20:00; Su,Mo 16:00-20:00
Carbone's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.4 mi
620 South Water Street
Mo 11:00-24:00; Tu-Sa 00:00-01:00,11:00-24:00; Su 00:00-01:00,10:00-24:00
Caribou Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop
400 5th Street West #C
Mo-Fr 05:30-20:00; Sa 06:00-20:00; Su 06:00-19:00
EL Tequila
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.5 mi
1010 Minnesota 3
Mo-Th 10:00-21:30; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 10:00-21:00
Gran Plaza Mexican Grill
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.4 mi
Jefferson Road
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00; We-Sa 11:00-22:00
52 more on the map.
History
Southern Minnesota was first settled by the indigenous Mdewakanton and Wahpekute Dakota peoples in the late 1700s, after battling with the Ojibwe and being expelled from northern Minnesota. The Wahpekute settled in the Big Woods region, which included most of what is now Northfield and Faribault. The Wahpekute used the Cannon and Straight rivers for easy transportation and game hunting. They engaged in the burgeoning Minnesota fur trade, leading Alexander Faribault to establish a trading post in Wahpekute territory in 1826, which became the town of Faribault in 1855. In 1834, the Wahpekute tribe moved their settlement to Faribault's trading post, leading to a confluence of economic and cultural engagement.
In 1822, during a war between the Wahpekute and the Sac and Fox tribes, Wahpekute head chief Shakeska (White Nails) died and was succeeded by his son Tasagi. About 170 Wahpekute people died in conflicts with the Sac and Fox between 1815 and 1825 in southern Minnesota. By this time, the Wahpekute had become economically dependent on white settlers like those at the Faribault trading post, and suffered from the depletion of game in the area.
From the History section of Northfield, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
AmericInn by Wyndham Northfield
Motel and hotel · 0.8 mi
1320 Bollenbacher Drive, Northfield
Churches and places of worship24
Skinner Memorial Chapel
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
All Saints Church-Episcopal
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
St Dominic's Catholic
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.4 mi
113 South Linden Street, Northfield
Shopping24
Gas and EV charging10
Schools, colleges and libraries22
Healthcare6
Map of Northfield
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23°F | 5°F | 1.0 in | 9.4 in |
| Feb | 28°F | 8°F | 1.0 in | 10.6 in |
| Mar | 40°F | 20°F | 1.9 in | 6.4 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 33°F | 3.1 in | 1.6 in |
| May | 68°F | 45°F | 4.4 in | 0.2 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 58°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 73°F | 50°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 59°F | 36°F | 2.6 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 42°F | 24°F | 1.7 in | 4.9 in |
| Dec | 29°F | 13°F | 1.2 in | 10.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Faribault (11 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Dakota County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2012-07-06: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2010-03-19: Flooding (Flood)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2001-05-16: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Stanton Airfield (SYN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Faribault 12 mi southwest, about 19 min by car
- Farmington 14 mi north, about 23 min by car
- Lakeville 16 mi north, about 25 min by car
- Apple Valley 20 mi north, about 32 min by car
- Burnsville 22 mi north, about 35 min by car
- Eagan 25 mi north, about 40 min by car
- Hastings 25 mi northeast, about 40 min by car
- Inver Grove Heights 26 mi north, about 42 min by car
- Bloomington 27 mi north, about 43 min by car
- Cottage Grove 28 mi northeast, about 45 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- DowntownNorthfield1, 123dieinafire of English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
- Stick Style - Northfield, MN - Milwaukee Road Depot (3), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Stick Style - Northfield, MN - Milwaukee Road Depot (1), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Stick Style - Northfield, MN - Milwaukee Road Depot (2), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Northfield, MN - Ames Mill (1) (cropped), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Northfield, MN - Ames Mill (1), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Egyptian Revival - Northfield, MN - State Bank of Northfield (1), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Egyptian Revival - Northfield, MN - State Bank of Northfield (2), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Collegiate Gothic - Northfield, MN - U. S. Post Office (2), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Egyptian Revival - Northfield, MN - State Bank of Northfield (3), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Streetscapes - Northfield, MN - Bridge Square (East side), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Bridge Square, Northfield, Minnesota in Winter (40652401681), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Egyptian Revival - Northfield, MN - State Bank of Northfield (4), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Bridge Square - Historic Downtown Northfield, Minnesota (40652347681) (cropped), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Bridge Square - Historic Downtown Northfield, Minnesota (40652347681), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Collegiate Gothic - Northfield, MN - U. S. Post Office (1), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Streetscapes - Northfield, MN - Bridge Square (West side), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Vernacular - Northfield, MN - Schmidt Building (1), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Queen Anne - Northfield, MN - Central Block (1), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Vernacular - Northfield, MN - Schmidt Building (3), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Streetscapes - Northfield, MN - Bridge Square (South side), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Day Without Immigrants 2017 in Northfield, Minnesota 20170216-0043 (32639364810), Martin Patrick from Northfield, MN, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Day Without Immigrants 2017 in Northfield, Minnesota 20170216-0041 (32176265064), Martin Patrick from Northfield, MN, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Bridge-Square-Northfield-June-2008, Calebrw, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Northfield First National, Elkman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Streetscapes - Northfield, MN - Division Street (400 Block) (2), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Italianate - Northfield, MN - Scriver Building (4), Bmzuckerman, CC BY 4.0
- Day Without Immigrants 2017 in Northfield, Minnesota 20170216-0040 (32176262674), Martin Patrick from Northfield, MN, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Day Without Immigrants 2017 in Northfield, Minnesota 20170216-0035 (32206235273), Martin Patrick from Northfield, MN, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Skinner Memorial Chapel 2015, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Edward T. Archibald House, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Scoville Memorial Library, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Waterford Bridge MN, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- RolvaagHouse, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- Willis Hall 2013, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- All Saints Church Northfield, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- District No. 72 School, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Archibald Mill, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Goodsell Observatory, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ault Store, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
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