“The overture is about to start. You cross your fingers and hold your heart. It’s curtain time and away we go. Another opening of

No, I wasn’t there, but I can imagine “Thwack!” was the sound of ball hitting bat in 19th century “base ball” (two words) which

If you are living in Faribault, you probably have heard the name Bruce Smith. As in: Bruce Smith Memorial Field, the Bruce Smith Golf

On June 16, 1899, more than 6,000 visitors streamed into Northfield on a dozen regular and special trains and marched in a mile-long parade.

“No matter where you go in the United States, it has been said, you will find someone who knows that Jesse James raided a

John North President Abraham Lincoln never set foot in Northfield. Nevertheless, as the nation celebrates the 200th birthday of Lincoln on Feb. 12, Northfield

“Speaker Ushers in Black History Month.” So read the headline of The Carletonian of Feb. 12, 1999. A picture with the story shows Barack Obama at

You cannot be much more of a “townie” than Laura MacKenzie, even though she left Northfield for a while before returning in 2011 to

“Noted Organist Accepts Offer: Carleton Secures James R. Gillette, Nationally Known Organist.” This was the front page headline in the Northfield News of Aug. 24, 1923.

Whan that April with his showres sooteThe droughte of March hath perced to the roote,And bathed every veine in swich licour,Of which vertu engendred

“You’re listening to the new sound in town, KYMN radio. Let’s boogie!” The uplifting strains of “Up, Up and Away,” sung by the Fifth

“We were built and now stand on the shoulders of Giants.” This was the shared sentiment of the St. Olaf College Department of Art

Originally Published in the May 2014 Entertainment Guide “Do you remember your first bike?” This is the question KYMN radio’s Wayne Eddy likes to

Visitors to Northfield’s third Vintage Band Festival this month may be acquainted with the name of F. Melius Christiansen, founder and director of the

I wrote two paragraphs about Henry Talford Budd, known as “Tal,” in my third Historic Happenings column in April of 2007. I was writing about events

On Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012 Northfielders had a chance to experience what it would have been like to be in an “electric theater” audience

Originally Published in the March 2014 Entertainment Guide Here in Northfield, insomniacs hear the freight train horns late at night, while during the day

I have occasionally been asked, “When will there be a book of your columns?” Now I have an answer: A book with the catchy

This was the plaintive cry in the Carletonian newspaper on Oct. 22, 1932, from the so-called “Goatrophy” which had been awarded for the first

This was the giant headline in the Northfield News on Nov. 9, 1895, with the subhead, “Northfield College Presidents, Professors, Doctors and Citizens Express Their Opinions

“Robbery & Murder!” screamed the headline of the Rice County Journal of Sept. 7, 1876. “Desperate Attempt to Rob the Bank! J.L. Heywood Shot Dead at

Dundas residents got an early glimpse of the precocious talent of 3-year-old Marilyn Sellars when, in the middle of a Sunday sermon at the

Northfield’s rich musical heritage can be traced back to Ann North, wife of Northfield’s founder, John North. When it came to a choice between

The last thing I expected during the Defeat of Jesse James Days in September of 2005 was to be singing karaoke with a descendant

Originally Published in the June 2014 Entertainment Guide The late Dan Freeman (known as “Mr. Northfield”) had treasured memories from the times Doc Evans

No, I am not writing about the Northfield Cannon Valley Lions Club. Nor am I writing about the St. Olaf Lion, logo of the

It all started with an extraordinary invitation by Minnesota Twins’ owner Cal Griffith 45 years ago. Sid Freeman, owner of a Northfield men’s store

In July of 2011 an open house was held at the Archer House River Inn to show off a $1.1 million renovation of the