Introduction
Northfield, Minnesota, is a smaller city located primarily in Rice County, Minnesota, with a small, extremely northern portion of the city extending north into Dakota County, home of the community of Hastings. The community is located nearly due south of the Saint Paul section of the Twin Cities region and is located slightly northeast of Faribault, the county seat of Rice County.
Colleges and Universities
The City of Northfield, Minnesota, is home to two (2) distinct colleges: Carleton College and St. Olaf College. However, the histories for either college are quite distinct from one another, with Carleton being named for William Carleton of the Charlestown area of Boston, Massachusetts (as opposed to Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦, which has received its present name from the former Ontario county, Carleton County, that had contained the national capital city) while St. Olaf was named for a Norwegian saint associated with the greater Scandinavian heritage of much of the region, including the small city of Northfield.
Carleton College is located east of the Cannon River downstream from the Downtown Northfield area, while St. Olaf College is located west of (and further removed from) the Cannon River. Only Carleton is typically considered an elite college, though both are private higher educational institutions in the city.
Places to Stay
As with many places across the United States of America at large, especially within closer proximity to the major metropolitan areas of the nation, places to stay are often relatively commercialized, with major brand names representing the chief hotels in Northfield. Most of the chains are located west of the Cannon River, including Country Inn and Suites by Radisson and Fairfield by Marriott further downstream.
Downtown Northfield
The downtown area of Northfield, Minnesota, is located chiefly on the east side of the Cannon River, with the more industrial areas on the immediate west side. The Historic Ames Mill and the Ames Park Peace Pole are the signature attractions to the west, while the downtown core is mostly known for the typical local amenities for the community.
Depending on the season of the year, Riverside Lions Park may host a Northfield in Bloom Butterfly mural, though the exhibition may not necessarily be guaranteed. On Division Street South, the fine art gallery at Tolle Fine Art is of cultural significance, while further north are the Northfield Historical Society, the Love Mural, Bridge Square, and the associated central fountain.
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