Digital Division
304 Division St
YMCA Building
est. 1885
In the space underneath the doorway arch just above you, stone lettering reads “Welcome.” Though with varying levels of effort and success over the course of time, this has always been the spirit of the Building, known for a period of time in the 20th century—quite fittingly—as the Community Building. 304 Division Street has always had a history of community use.
304 Division St has always had a history of community use.
From its construction in 1885, it was the site of the first YMCA in Minnesota located outside of its urban centers. In its upstairs was Northfield’s library, in the years before the Carnegie Library was built just across the street. (Walk up to the top of its stairs across the street for more library history!) With an extensive literary collection, a gymnasium, and an assembly room, the Y building became a community gathering space and a hub for learning—two needed spots after the loss of funding towards educational and recreational infrastructure during the Civil War.
In 1915, the YMCA gave the building to the city, on the condition that the building would continue to serve the community, for only $1.
This space was given a new use after World War I, when in 1915, the YMCA gave the building to the City for $1, on the condition that it would serve a community-oriented purpose, a testament to the legacy of community service in this building. City Hall moved in from its original location right across the alley, to your right as you face the building. It stayed here until 1978, when it moved into its current location on the eighth block of Washington Street.
Wanting to continue the public-serving tradition of the space, the city decided to lease 304 Division to its present occupant: the Northfield Arts Guild. And the Guild’s impact on the community cannot be overstated. It has since been an enduring center for youth engagement with the arts and learning at all ages, inspiring generations of Northfielders. 304 Division features a more pronounced style with its large bay windows, giving it a fairly different look from most of its surrounding buildings. Its present look closely resembles how it appeared on its established date of 1885—seen printed above the door, on the upper level of the building.
