Save the Northfield Depot

Northfield LOVES its depot! The 1888 depot is a special building that reflects our unique history, culture, and community.

You and others in the community helped the project finish the goal of rescuing, renovating, and reusing the last remaining icon of Northfield’s rich railroad history—the 1888 Milwaukee depot, an architectural treasure designated as a local historic site in 2021. Details about the depot’s rich history and recent restoration is documented in text and pictures on our website at northfielddepot.org.

Navigating the next phase…

Beginning in 2023, Save the Northfield Depot transitioned from rehabilitation to utilization of the depot. This shift in emphasis has added new tasks of managing the use of the depot and of securing the future role of the depot as a community asset.

As predicted, the Northfield Depot continues to be a popular rental venue for a variety of community events—ranging from group meetings (chiefly non-profits) to public events (concerts, historical tours, poetry readings, dance recitals, markets) to private social gatherings (showers, birthday parties, reunions). Those attending events as well as pedestrians going to and from downtown enjoy the garden area sculptures and plantings, and often take advantage of the several benches.

But we need your help to achieve long-term sustainability as a historic space available for community meetings and events, both public and private.

IMPORTANT: Please note that a 6.9% processing fee is subtracted from all GiveMN donations. Another options is to donate through PayPal, where the fees are slightly lower; no account is needed. If you would like your FULL donation to go toward our project, please mail a check to Save the Northfield Depot, P.O. Box 486, Northfield, MN 55057.

Depot-pavilion-transit hub complex

The 2010 community’s vision for the 1888 depot-pavilion-transit hub complex is coming true. The depot building renovations were completed in 2021; the grounds completed and the occupancy permit obtained in 2022; and, as noted above has become the predicted valuable community asset. The City of Northfield will wrap up construction of the pavilion and transit hub this fall. The completion of the City’s pavilion and transit hub will complement and further enhance the use for the depot. Visit the pavilion and transit hub project page on the City of Northfield's website.

This project is more than an historic preservation success. It is also about:

- beautification (removed blight and created a welcoming gateway) 

- economic development (served as catalyst for development in undeveloped area)

- education (developed understanding of the role of railroads in Northfield history)

- community (generated a sense of community in working together, and public use)

- transportation (served as a catalyst for the transit hub and positioned for use of possible future passenger rail)