This is a Virtual Cache. There is no container hidden at the location. To claim credit, you must prove your visit. No armchair caching. Read below.
Northfield Bank Raid, September 7, 1876
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September 7, 1876
In 1876, Northfield was a small but growing town, a 20-year old farming community with two small colleges and prosperous lumber and flour mills powered by the Cannon River.
On September 7, 1876, the infamous James-Younger gang attempted to rob the First National Bank of Northfield. Frank and Jesse James, the Younger brothers (Cole, Jim, and Bob), Clell Miller, Charlie Pitts, and Bill Chadwell rode into town in groups of 2 and 3 on that sunny Thursday afternoon. They crossed the iron bridge over the Cannon River near the mill dam and entered the square north of the posted coordinates. The first three men tied up their horses in front of the First National Bank, at that time occupying part of the Scriver Building (built 1868) with a door facing Division Street. They walked up to the corner and awaited the arrival of the others. They then turned and entered the bank. Two more men took up positions in front of the bank and the remaining men circled Bridge Square.
Things began to go wrong for the outlaws. The three that entered the bank at about 2 p.m. were Frank James, Charlie Pitts, and Bob Younger. Working inside the bank were Frank Wilcox, Alonzo Bunker, and Joseph Lee Heywood. The robbers jumped the counter, guns drawn, and demanded the money from the vault. Heywood, the cashier on duty, refused to open the safe inside the vault, claiming it was a time lock and could not be opened. A tussle ensued with the gunmen threatening Heywood. A first shot was fired. Teller Alonzo Bunker managed to escape to safety out the back door of the bank, another gunshot wounding him in the shoulder. Heywood still refused to open the safe.
Meanwhile, townspeople outside the bank became aware that something was amiss. Merchant J.S. Allen shouted, "Get your guns, boys — they’re robbing the bank!" As gang members on the street began shooting wildly to scare people away from the scene, citizens answered the call to defend their town and their savings. A.R. Manning used a single-shot rifle to shoot a horse, wound Cole Younger, and kill Bill Chadwell in front of the bank. Medical student Henry Wheeler grabbed an old single-shot army carbine he found in the lobby of the Dampier Hotel and ran to a second-floor window across from the bank. He killed Clell Miller and wounded Bob Younger. In the chaos, Cole Younger called to the robbers inside the bank to get out. They grabbed some money sitting on the tables but left with less than $27 in cash. Frank James, the final gang member to leave the bank, shot Joseph Lee Heywood in the head. A Swedish immigrant, Nicholaus Gustafson, who didn't understand the warning calls, was also fatally wounded on the street.
The Northfield Raid lasted just 7 minutes. Six gang members, most of them wounded, fled on five horses. They escaped south out of town, crossing back over the river in Dundas and making a run southwest. The raid triggered the largest manhunt in U.S. history up to that time. Many Minnesotans joined the posses. Frank and Jesse James managed to evade capture and eventually made their way back to Missouri. Two weeks after the events in Northfield, the Younger brothers were captured and Charlie Pitts was killed in a gunfight when they were cornered in a swamp called Hanska Slough, near Madelia, Minnesota.The three Younger brothers were to be tried in Faribault, pled guilty to all charges including murder, and were sentenced to life in the state prison at Stillwater.
The Historic Site
The Northfield Raid has been the subject of countless novels and movies through the years. It has inspired endless speculation and multiple theories of the sequence of events and who actually participated. My abbreviated version may have flaws but I encourage you to read more about it, to view the exhibits in the Northfield Historical Society and visit the restored First National Bank (see below).
I am placing this virtual reward cache to honor the heroic actions of ordinary citizens in my home town who acted quickly to protect their town and property, especially for Joseph Lee Heywood who sacrificed his life in refusing to open the safe.
I also want to honor the Northfield Historical Society and its preservation work that touches far more than just the bank raid. I was a kid when the Historical Society formed in the year leading up to the nation's bicentennial celebrations, but I remember the dedication of the Scriver Building as its headquarters and museum in 1976. Family members served on its Board of Directors and spent many hours doing volunteer work with its collections. I even had my first museum job there in the mid-1980s and was inspired to go on to study history and preservation in graduate school.
The Cache
In order to log this cache you must actually visit the cache coordinates and provide proof that you were there.
At the posted coordinates you will be standing on the sidewalk in front of the Northfield Historical Society and the restored First National Bank of Northfield, site of the James-Younger Gang Raid in 1876. The GZ and access to logging requirements are available 24/7; however, it is strongly recommended that you visit during daylight hours to fully enjoy the experience. Please respect the historic property, nearby businesses and residences.
Logging Requirements
Walk a few steps in the direction of Bridge Square (north) towards the staircase on the east side of the Scriver Building (along Division Street). Send me via email through my profile page your answer to the following question:
See the staircase that descends along the outside of the Scriver Building: how many steps descend from sidewalk level to the basement level of the Northfield Historical Society? (You do not have to go down the stairs — just count the steps from the railing above. Do not reveal the answer in your log.)
Please post a picture of yourself and/or your GPSr in front of the old First National Bank (optional).
In your log, you may wish to tell us if you see any "bullet holes" in the limestone wall near the stairs. When I was little, I remember looking at the supposed bullet holes from the bank raid — they were circled with black paint.
Visit the Museum
The Northfield Historical Society is generally open:
- Monday – Saturday 10 am to 5 pm
- Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm
For a small admission you can tour the bank site and view exhibits about the James-Younger Gang Bank Raid featuring firearms, saddles, spurs, the bank ledger from 1876, and historic photos.
Website: www.northfieldhistory.org
Defeat of Jesse James Days
An especially busy time to visit Northfield is the annual Defeat of Jesse James Days which takes place on the weekend following Labor Day, around the anniversary of the Northfield Bank Raid. Festivities include reenactments of the raid, a parade, arts & crafts fairs, a rodeo, music, and more.
Follow the Outlaw Trail
As cachers, you may very well want to follow in the footsteps of the fleeing bank robbers. You can learn more about the escape route at the Northfield Historical Society or read about it online at Explore Minnesota. Thanks to dgauss and Sky, there is a series of caches dedicated to the James-Younger Gang Escape Route, bookmarked here.
Recommended Reading
Shot all to hell : Jesse James, the Northfield Raid, and the wild west's greatest escape by Mark Lee Gardner (New York, NY : William Morrow, 2013)
For a quick read online, try:
Virtual Reward - 2017/2018
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between August 24, 2017 and August 24, 2018. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards on the Geocaching Blog.