Did you know May 30 – July 4 is the first-ever Northfield History Month? Learn more about the events here.
Every weekday this Northfield History Month, come on over to the Northfield History Collaborative to learn a little more about one of the newest additions to our online collection of materials that help tell Northfield’s history.
- Day 1: 259 photographs of World War II era servicemen and women
- Day 2: 22 new Northfield Arts Guild theater programs
- Day 3: Grand Army of the Republic minutes
- Day 4: HATPIN newsletters
- Day 5: Northfield High School ‘Periscopes’
Before the Northfield chapter of the Chamber of Commerce was established, businesses in Northfield were already united through the Northfield Retail Merchants. Their minutes from 1929 to 1933 are now available in the Collaborative.
Somewhat surprisingly, downtown parking was an issue even in 1930:
After some discussion it was decided to make every effort to get all Merchants and Professional people of the town to Cooperate in avoiding on the main streets by parking their cars else where when possible.
The merchants’ association back then seemed to hold events that specifically attracted “country folks” to town. Right away in the 1929 minutes, the merchants were planning a summertime entertainment for those country folks:
The committee favored an all day entertainment, with novelty attractions, sports, games and the kind, with free refreshments consisting of Coffee, Pop, and Ice Cream.
Likewise, they talked about hosting poultry shows and colt shows, and encouraging like conventions.