Digital Division
415 & 417 Division St
Skinner Block
est. 1857
The Skinner name is one of the most famous in Northfield’s foundational history, as the namesake for the Skinner Block, and perhaps more known for the Skinner Chapel at Carleton College. The original structure of the Block dates back to 1857, and lies behind the current modern brick facade. In 1856, a former store clerk, Miron W. Skinner, who had worked in a variety of towns across the Midwest, found a home in Northfield.
At the time, Northfield was very bare-bones and undeveloped. The residential areas were scarce, and Division Street hardly resembled a downtown’s main street. Yet, Skinner saw potential, and set up a general store with his brother Martin. Miron formed various partnerships over the years before he sold off his share of the store to his business partners Drew & Eltun in 1904, who went on to move the store to the Central Block. It stayed there under new ownership for years. Meanwhile, the Skinner Block was taken up by a series of furnishing businesses in the early 20th century, and later vendors by the titles of National Tea Company, Ferguson & Richardson, and Coast to Coast, among others. Hogan Brothers, a favorite sandwich spot among Northfielders, now exists within the Skinner Block.
Miron W. Skinner who built the Skinner Block