Northfield (pop. 20,790) is a city in southeastern Minnesota. It lies about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of St. Paul. The notorious Jesse James gang tried to rob a bank in Northfield in 1876, but the bank clerk refused to open the vault. James escaped, but several gang members were killed or captured. The bank is now a historical museum. The city is the home of Carleton and St. Olaf colleges. Northfield’s industries include food processing and the production of electronic circuits. The city is named for John W. North, who founded it in 1855. Northfield has a mayor-council form of government.
