Northfield: So much more than a college town

Northfield claims two colleges, Carleton and St. Olaf, so the laid-back, bohemian ambience came as no surprise.

What did strike me was the grown-up feel of the place.

Sure, a kid in dreadlocks served tea at the coffee shop. But a collection of mothers grabbed lunch at a deli with their crew of toddlers. A woman carrying a Coach bag browsed an upscale art gallery. A matronly woman bought white bread and doughnuts at an old-school bakery.

That the college crowd shares the streets so amiably with townies not only adds to Northfield's appeal, it speaks volumes about it. No matter your type, something will grab you among the pretty parks, many restaurants and eclectic stores (not a chain among them) that hug the Cannon River.

SIP

For a crash course in the Northfield vibe, stop by the Goodbye Blue Monday Coffee House. Bearded professors, gangly college freshmen, business men in polo shirts and women in Birkenstocks all pass through. Wi-Fi hookup and electrical outlets every few feet ensure that the Formica-topped tables (and the occasional comfy couch) stay filled with laptoppers.

Goodbye Blue Monday Coffee House, 319 Division St., 1-507-663-6188.

º Learn

When Jesse James and friends rode north for their first bank raid in Minnesota in 1876, they picked the wrong place. Already Northfield had two colleges; the gang might have figured the townspeople were smart enough to be wary of strangers in loose-fitting dusters.

Long story short, townspeople fended off the robbery. After a gunfight, two of the gang were killed and three were eventually captured. Jesse -- eulogized in numerous films, the latest of which stars Brad Pitt and opened last Friday -- got away, along with his brother, Frank. The gang never robbed again.

Interested in the long version? Visit the Northfield Historical Society Museum for memorabilia, a riveting if poorly acted short video, and to see bullet holes from the gunfight on the building's old stone exterior. (The museum is housed in the old bank.) You can also buy a T-shirt that shows Northfield is still on a moral high horse -- and has a sense of humor: It declares, "It's not nice to rob banks."

NHS Museum, 408 Division St., 1-507-645-9268.

Ø Shop

On a street lined with interesting stores in 19th-century buildings, none pleased me more than Digs. Its array of colorful buttons, fabrics and ribbons made me wish I could sew, as did its smart, house-designed "stitchin' vixen" T-shirt. If I'd saved some money, I'd have bought an elegant birdhouse made of found wood (from $45 and up) at Hodge-Podge que'. More money still, and I would have brought home an Old English-style, 7-foot-long stunning metal bench ($1,200) from Swag, which proffers arts and crafts from fine to funky, expensive to cheap.

Digs, 310 Division St., 1-507-644-9140; Hodge-Podge que', 429 Division St., 1-507-645-0760; Swag, 423 Division St., 1-507-663-8870.

DINE

Cap off a busy morning of shopping at Hogan Brothers, a deli known for its freshly baked hoagies and root beer on tap. Corned beef, salami and ham is the usual delicious combo, but you can create your own concoction from a variety of fillings. Sure, there are sit-down spots that overlook the river, but I was drawn here by the scent of baked bread and the long line of locals at the counter. I wasn't disappointed.

Hogan Brothers, 415 Division St., 1-507-645-6653.

º stroll

If Riverwalk, the paved walkway that runs along the Cannon River downtown, doesn't wear you out, head to the Cowles Arboretum on the campus of Carleton College. The 880 acres contain about 15 miles of trails, many of which prohibit bikes. Some travel through woods, and others over prairie. The arboretum staff has restored 150 acres of native tall grass prairie, so you get a view of history to go with the one you got downtown.

Kerri Westenberg • 612-673-4282

Story and Photos By Kerri Westenberg • kwestenberg@startribune.com