Welcome to the Northfield Historical Society

Welcome to the
Northfield Historical Society

In 1857 only twenty families made up the tax rolls of the district which was to become Northfield, Illinois. Today the village has over 5200 residents. The hundred and fifty years in between tell the stories of pioneers, farmers, industrialists, and suburbanites who settled here and shaped the community into what it is today. The Northfield Historical Society is designed to bring some of those stories to life through pictures, documents, and other images.

Incorporated in 1999, The Society is a virtual compendium of Northfield's history, from the early days of the Brachtendorfs, Happs, and Donavans… to the time when Samuel Insull electrified the community, both figuratively and literally, by bringing in the railroad… to the present, as Northfield struggles with the challenges of twenty-first century development.

The centerpiece of the website is a searchable database of downloadable images that can be accessed any time night or day. We invite you to search for a specific person, place, or date or browse at your leisure.