Things to Do in Northfield, Minnesota: Jesse James & More (2026)

The best things to do in Northfield, Minnesota, are the Northfield History Center in the 1876 bank-raid building, the trails of Carleton’s Cowling Arboretum and an evening on Division Street. Northfield is a college town of 20,790 people in Rice County, on the Cannon River about 40 miles south of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

On September 7, 1876, the James-Younger Gang tried to rob the First National Bank here. Townspeople grabbed guns, two gang members died in the street, and the rest scattered; Jesse and Frank James escaped west. Carleton College (1866) and St. Olaf College (1874) have shaped the town ever since.

Northfield History Center and the 1876 bank

The Northfield Historical Society’s museum fills the Scriver Building at 408 Division St. S., where the bank raid happened. Exhibits cover the raid, acting cashier Joseph Lee Heywood, who was killed during the robbery, and Cole Younger, who was captured near Madelia. Look for QR codes in Division Street shop windows for a self-guided digital tour.

★ Good to know The museum is closed Mondays, and admission is free for students, kids and veterans.

Carleton College Cowling Arboretum

The Arb is 800 acres of prairie, river and forest along the Cannon, founded by Carleton in 1926. Its 15 miles of trails are open to the public free every day, for walking in summer and cross-country skiing in winter.

★ Good to know Carleton posts Arb trail changes on its site, so check there before a long walk.

Carleton’s Japanese Garden

Designer David Slawson built this compact dry-landscape garden, Jōryō-en, behind Watson Hall between 1974 and 1976. Lichen-covered rocks gathered within 100 miles of Northfield frame a white gravel ‘lake’ and a wooden bridge meant for looking, not walking.

★ Good to know It’s a viewing garden, so plan a few quiet minutes on the benches in the tea-house-style pavilion.

Division Street and Bridge Square

Downtown runs along the Cannon River from Bridge Square, where a fountain and a senior-center popcorn wagon sit by the Ames Mill dam. Content Bookstore and The Measuring Cup kitchen shop are on Division Street, and river walkways run along the water.

★ Good to know Walk the riverside paths from Bridge Square to see the dam that once powered the Malt-O-Meal mill.

Northfield breweries and Loon Liquors

Tanzenwald Brewing Company sits on Water Street by the river, and Imminent Brewing has a patio and food trucks on Division Street. Loon Liquors, a distillery with a pizzeria, is on 5th Street, and Chapel Brewing is just south in Dundas.

★ Good to know Several close early in the week, so check hours before planning a Monday or Tuesday crawl.

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Southeast of town near Nerstrand, this park protects a remnant of Minnesota’s Big Woods and one of the only populations of the endangered dwarf trout lily. A half-mile trail from the picnic-area lot leads to Hidden Falls. It’s known for spring wildflowers and fall color.

★ Good to know Buy your vehicle permit online before you go, since cell service is poor. If the lots are full, try Caron County Park three miles west.

Lorence’s Berry Farm

This family farm on Foliage Avenue just north of town has pick-your-own strawberries from about mid-June and raspberries from early August into September. Asparagus comes first, in spring.

★ Good to know It’s cash or check only, and it’s smart to call before coming, since picking depends on the crop and weather.

Also in town

St. Olaf College’s roughly 430 acres of Natural Lands have public trails through restored prairie and Big Woods, the Mill Towns State Trail links Northfield and Dundas, and Bridge Square’s riverside walkways connect downtown to the Cannon River dam.

When to goCome the weekend after Labor Day for Defeat of Jesse James Days, with raid reenactments on Division Street, a rodeo and a parade. Crazy Daze in summer and Winter Walk in the holiday season are the other big downtown events.

How long to stayOne full day covers the museum, downtown and the Arb; add a half day for Nerstrand Big Woods.

Heads upDefeat of Jesse James Days draws thousands of visitors, so book rooms early for that weekend.

Getting hereMinneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is the closest airport with scheduled airline service, about 45 minutes north by car.

What happened in Northfield in 1876?

On September 7, 1876, the James-Younger Gang tried to rob the First National Bank. Armed townspeople fought back, cashier Joseph Lee Heywood and immigrant Nicholas Gustafson were killed, and the gang was routed. The Northfield History Center now occupies the building.

When is Defeat of Jesse James Days?

It’s held every year on the weekend after Labor Day. It’s one of Minnesota’s largest outdoor celebrations, with bank-raid reenactments, a championship rodeo, a carnival and a parade.

Is the Carleton Arboretum open to the public?

Yes. The Cowling Arboretum is free and open to the public every day, with a 15-mile trail system for walking, birding and winter skiing.

What other Minnesota towns pair well with Northfield?

Red Wing is east on the Mississippi; see Red Wing. For German heritage, see New Ulm, or browse more small towns in Minnesota.

Where to find them

Northfield History Center 408 Division St. S., Northfield, MN 55057 Website Directions
Carleton College Cowling Arboretum 1 N. College St., Northfield, MN 55057 Website Directions
Carleton's Japanese Garden 1 N. College St., Northfield, MN 55057 Website Directions
Division Street and Bridge Square Bridge Square, Northfield, MN 55057 Website Directions
Tanzenwald Brewing Company 103 Water St. N., Northfield, MN 55057 Directions
Nerstrand Big Woods State Park 9700 170th St. E., Nerstrand, MN 55053 Website Directions
Lorence's Berry Farm 28556 Foliage Ave., Northfield, MN 55057 Website Directions