Northfield

If you take Lockwood Dr in the North Ridge Neighborhood north and follow it until it ends, you will have found your way to Thye Parkway and your northern neighbor, Liberty Park. Travelling west, you pass Thye Ct on the northside and many homes on your left until you come to the intersection with Quie Lane.  Turning right will take you to Patriot Rd, and turning left will take you into the winding southside of Quie Lan

By the mid-20^th century, curvy, winding streets and cul-de-sacs found their way to Northfield Neighborhoods.  These neighborhoods were developed outside the city center grid, predominantly on the northern and western edges, reflecting the trends of the times.  The curvilinear street follows the natural lay of the land while providing safer residential areas.  The design of the loops, cul-d

Walking about the Old East Side, I look for what might be called Carleton College neighborhoods. The houses lining the streets that are adjacent to Carleton College lead to Historic Central Park and Downtown. What I find in between, from 1st to 3rd Streets and Union to Oak Streets, is a nice blend of the old and the newer – Victorian Era to Mid-19^th century architectural homes.  Some of th

I think of neighborhoods simply -- houses and people in a given location.  In Northfield, when you add the history of the structures and the people who lived there to the narrative and throw in current technology, you have a college course on Digital History and Deep Mapping.  We no longer live in a simple world. 

Starting at Bridge Square, John North could easily walk the two blocks from Northfield’s commercial district east to the lovely spot he called Public Square.  This would be perfect as the focal point for a residential neighborhood providing a relaxing space for community activities and occasional cow grazing.  Diagonal walking paths would meet in the center of the park, oft times called the “Center Circle,” and shade

The water spray from the Sheldahl Anniversary Fountain in Bridge Square looks inviting on this warm spring day.  I find a seat on a bench in the square to admire the view while enjoying an ice cream cone from nearby Hogan Brothers.  The eagle atop the Civil War Monument looks particularly majestic and the hanging baskets add a touch of color next to the green of the shade trees. I close my eyes and l

During the busy time of land development in the late 1980s, the Sinclair Gas Station and a dry cleaners situated on the downtown corner of Hwy 3 and Second Street West in Northfield caught the eye of city fathers as ideal for change.

Among Northfield’s 55+ senior housing community are condominium communities for the active and independent. Village on the Cannon is one such community.

While Northfield in 1982 welcomed the introduction of townhomes and condominiums, the year 2000 saw a significant change in the type of housing moving into the mainstream.

The year was 1980. Developers once again eyed open land with visions of what