Northfield Sense of Community

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Introduction

Methodology

A Brief History of Northfield

Discussion of Suburbia

Neighborhood Structure

Northfield Sense of Community
Conclusions

Works Cited

Acknowledgements
  

Kris MacPherson – Reference Librarian at St. Olaf College

Kris has lived in Northfield for twenty-two years; during this time she has lived in six different neighborhoods.  She has experienced apartment life, some of Northfield’s newer developments, and a couple of Northfield’s early established neighborhoods.  Kris described her sense of community in the newer developments as rather middle-of-the-road, as there was nothing in particular that generated neighborly interaction.  She mentioned that the neighborhoods did not seem to promote a pedestrian lifestyle and that made for little casual conversation with neighbors.  Kris’ most recent home is in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Northfield on Nevada Street.  Her house is a 1920s bungalow style house with a screened in porch.  There were lots of porches in her neighborhood, big trees along the sidewalks creating space between sidewalk and the street creating a very pedestrian friendly atmosphere.  Kris discussed the unspoken neighborliness amongst those that live around her and recalled conversations over fences while doing yard work.  What struck me most during our tour around her neighborhood was Kris’ knowledge of not only all of her neighbors names, but how long they’ve been in the neighborhood, their professions, and other facts that one would only know through interaction and a true interest in ones neighbors.

 porch neighborhood
This picture was taken in the historic neighborhoods near Carleton, in the vicinity of Kris' and Joan's homes

Joan Olson –Northfield Historical Society Archivist

Joan and her husband bought their 1885 Victorian style house on E. 3rd Street in the 1960s and have lived there ever since.  Speaking with Joan was a fascinating exploration of how her neighborhood has changed over the time she has lived there.  She was able to tell me about the diversity of style and size of houses that exist within the neighborhood.  Some of the old Victorians were split into duplexes in the 1930s, while some were converted back some of these multiple family structures still exist.  This variety of housing allows for a people of different economic status to live within the neighborhood, providing the neighborhood with a bit of diversity.  I asked Joan if the people in her neighborhood sat on their porches much, she responded immediately saying that people sit on their porches on occasion, but certainly not like they used to.  Like much of the literature reviewed earlier, she cited television and air conditioning as reasons, but most importantly was the driving force of the mighty Minnesota mosquito.  Much like Kris, Joan knew so much about the people who live in her community and she had an incredible knowledge of the history of the neighborhood. She struck me as someone who is very rooted in her neighborhood and her community as a whole.

estate lane   estate lane street
          The townhome neighborhood where Julie lives                           A view of Julie's neighborhood

Julie Maxon –Geologist

Julie lives in the Estate Lane: Sibley View Townhome development on the south end of Northfield.  This neighborhood is about seven years old and is made up mostly of retirees, with a few exceptions including Julie.  This neighborhood could be considered “cookie-cutter,” as the alternating freestanding and duplex homes share the same exterior features, including prominent garages, and taupe vinyl siding.  Julie laughed as she was describing the neighborhood in terms of its 21 “units,” ideally built for two adults.  It’s interesting that houses in this type of development are often times referred to as units rather than homes.  Despite the lack of sidewalks in the neighborhood, Julie and her dog, Ginger, experience much of their neighborhood interaction during their walks.  She described the neighborhood as pedestrian with residents walking around the neighborhood primarily for exercise rather than as a means of travel.  Because this development, like many of the townhome developments, has an active homeowners association the grounds/lawns are maintained as a service, so not much neighborhood interaction occurs during yard work.  I was intrigued by the notion of a homeowners association and its implications on the sense of community in the development.  Julie explained to me that the association was about 90% grounds and maintenance and 10% community functions.  She showed me the neighborhood phone list that the association provides with all 21 units listed and some of the annual functions that occur. I asked Julie if she thought the neighborhood lacked the kind of interaction that would occur if there were front porches on the units rather than garages.  She responded saying that people often times use their garages and the spaces in front of their units as if they were porches.  Due to the fact that most of her neighbors store their grills in their garages, cookouts occur right outside the garage on the driveway, creating an atmosphere of one big neighborhood cookout as people pass by and engage in conversation.  She also described one of the men in the neighborhood who sets his chair up by his garage and watches the neighborhood pass by.  Julie shared with me her sense of community that, although different from that of Kris and Joan, was still one that roots provides her with interaction with her neighbors and roots her within the Northfield Community.
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