Digital Division
408 Division St
Scriver Building
est. 1868
Ah yes, the Scriver Building. Built in 1868 by entrepreneur Hiram Scriver, there is so much history to be found in this building—literally and figuratively. This was the site of the famed 1876 attempted raid on the First National Bank by the James-Younger Gang, which was thwarted by the brave efforts of acting cashier Joseph Lee Heywood and the Northfield townspeople.
This was the site of the famed 1876 attempted James-Younger Gang bank raid.
The bank room remains preserved in the southern part of the building as it appeared in 1876 thanks to restoration work by the Northfield Historical Society. Founded in 1976, a century after the attempted robbery, the now-Northfield History Center has owned the Scriver Building ever since, seeking to discover and share the stories of Northfield’s past with the community through projects like this one.
The Northfield History Center seeks to discover and share the stories of Northfield’s past.
The Scriver Building has a rich architectural story. Its look today closely resembles the one it had back in 1868, but this has not always been the case. The arched roof seen below was added in 1888 and later removed to preserve the building’s original character, the staircase has switched from wood to iron and back to wood again, and great care has been put into maintaining the look of the facade facing Bridge Square. The Scriver Building is the oldest limestone building still standing in Northfield’s downtown, but we here at the History Center think it doesn’t look a day over 150.
