Greetings, Northfield history lovers!
My name is Alyssa Ness and I welcome you to my new blog “Out of the Attic,” through which I will be sharing with you some of Northfield’s lesser-known history. About myself: I’m a 2006 graduate of Northfield High School, a member of Saint Olaf’s class of 2010, and a distant relative of Gertrude Hilleboe and H.T. Ytterboe. I would gladly receive your suggestions for future “Out of the Attic” topics, a simple question or two that you might like answered, OR an anecdote that relates to a previous post. I’m excited to learn more about Northfield and to gather any interesting personal stories that you may possess.
Speaking of personal stories, I think I first fell in love with local histories when I took Social Studies classes from Ron Morris and Earl Weinmann in 7th grade (I finished our Northfield James Raid test so quickly that Mr. Weinmann asked me to go down the hall and refill his coffee cup for him). I finally realized my passion for history two years ago while living at my grandma’s farm place for the summer. I’ve been visiting historical societies and poring over newspaper microfiche ever since.
In my most recent visits to the microfiche drawers of the public library, I have noticed that over the years many buildings in Northfield have survived into the current day by changing their appearances and vocations. A very special instance of this is seen in our city council’s repositioning. In the past 150 years, four separate structures have borne the title of “City Hall,” and three of these buildings were previously used.
The Lyceum Building: 1875 – 1880
Though it was only a simple one-story, the Lyceum Building would become the gathering place for the fledgling city council when a charter for city government was procured in 1875. The first official meeting of the Northfield city council was called to order on March 16th and amongst the new elects were an “H. Scriver,” mayor, and a “J.L. Heywood,” treasurer.
As years passed, the council began to wonder if it had outgrown its accommodations. In May of 1880, plans for a new city hall were adopted during a special meeting, and with that, the Lyceum building’s service to Northfield as “Old City Hall” had come to an end.
The City Hall and Firehouse: 1880 – 1916
Erected in 1880, the former City Hall and Firehouse has been standing guard at 302 Division Street for over a century. The city council’s chambers and offices occupied the second floor, sharing space with the firemen’s social rooms and policemen’s 
headquarters. A horse-drawn fire engine was stored on the first floor, accounting for the large curved doorways that faced the street. Northfield’s brand new city hall was an exciting addition to the downtown area and its central location on Division Street ensured that it would be able to serve the community more readily.
Business proceeded as usual until 1916, when the decision was made to relinquish the building entirely to the eager fire department. The city council moved their offices to a temporary space directly next door in the former Y.M.C.A. center. Once settled there, they waited for repairs to be done elsewhere in building where their permanent headquarters would be situated.
The Y.M.C.A. Building: 1916 – 1978
It was originally celebrated in 1885 as the first outstate Y.M.C.A. building in Minnesota and applauded as a handsome addition to the downtown area. Later used as the public library for five years and to play host 
to infrequent city celebrations and meetings, Northfield’s third City Hall site had many improvements to make before it would be suitable for its proposed job.
In March of 1918, Fred B. Hill and his wife communicated to the city council their desire to donate $6,000 to the remodeling project. With the encouragement provided by the Hills’ sizable donation, the numerous local clubs were able to raise the remainder of the necessary funds within a year. On Friday, April 4th, 1919, the newly refurbished Community Building was joyfully dedicated.
Then, in 1978, murmurings were heard that the city council wished to sell the building. Townspeople initially protested, fearing for the Community Building’s safety, but when the Northfield Arts Guild showed an interest, many were excited by the prospect of seeing the building as a community staple again. NAG won the auction with a bid of $1, arguing that their organization would best return the structure to its friendly neighborhood roots.
Washington School: 1978 – Present
“New Washington” and “Old Washington,” as the two elementary schools were known, stood within a block of each other so that the unlucky occupants of the smaller old building could occasionally overflow into the more comfortable, modern surroundings of the new. New 
Washington housed the schools’ library and also claimed the shared gymnasium, though the locker rooms remained in the basement of Old Washington.
By 1969, this complicated symbiotic relationship had begun to weary both students and administrators. It was at the end of that decade that the school board decided that they would also discontinue use of New Washington. Quietly, the city council began eyeing the empty yellow school on Washington Street. The Community Building was beginning to feel cramped, and it would cost over $1,000,000 to erect a brand new City Hall elsewhere in town. Discussions between the city council and the school board commenced in the summer of 1978, and a tentative agreement was reached in July to sell New Washington to the city for $250,000. The city council moved into the New Washington school site in the winter of 1978 and continues to work out of that location to the present day.
From a one-story building erected by Northfield’s founders, to a former Y.M.C.A., to a 1950s-era elementary school, our city 
council has experienced a variety of settings throughout its long career. It’s inspiring to see how cleverly secondhand buildings can be reused, and to know that our local government is not above accepting the hand-me-downs that it fortuitously encounters as it seeks to better serve our town. When the Council’s intentions regarding Washington School became general knowledge, some citizens felt that the school was a poor, inappropriate choice for a new home and suggested that a new, perfect City Hall be constructed in the downtown area. Although this would have undoubtedly been a comfortable place for the council to settle, they rejected the idea because of the expenses involved. We can be proud of our council for not pursuing high-end, expensive new quarters at the cost of the taxpayers. Council members serve our town every day through decisions like these, protecting and preserving our “cows, colleges, and contentment” for future generations of Northfielders.
Extra(s)! Extra(s)!
+ Read about the current occupants and activities of the Lyceum Building in this 2008 Northfield News article.
+ Calculate the 21st century value of 20th century costs with help from this smart, precise currency exchange website.
Sources
Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn. History of Rice and Steele Counties. Vol. I. Chicago: H.C.Cooper Jr. & Co., 1910. Pages 451-457.
Northfield Heritage Preservation Commission. Northfield: the History and Architecture of a Community. Northfield: Northfield Printing, 1999. Pages 64-66.
[Northfield News and Rice County Journal microfiche files, from 1880-1980.]
Neill, Edward D. History of Rice County, including Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota and Outline History of the State of Minnesota. Minneapolis: Minnesota Historical Company, 1882. Pages 405.
Weicht, Carl L. People: Highlights of Northfield’s History. Rice County Historical Society – Northfield: College City Press. April 15, 1957.
