Northfield

Suburb on the southern outskirts of Birmingham, West Midlands, England; population (2001) 23,050.

The church, mentioned in the Domesday Book, has a Norman tower and door. The Great Stone Inn, the village pound, and several old cottages preserve the character of the village as it was before being encompassed by Birmingham.

Northfield

Town in Franklin County, northwestern Massachusetts, 16 km/10 mi northeast of Greenfield; population (2000 est) 1,100. Northfield lies on the Connecticut River and the Vermont and New Hampshire borders. The area is largely agricultural, and the main employers are two schools founded by US evangelist Dwight L Moody, Northfield Seminary (now Northfield school) for girls (1879) and Mount Hermon school for boys (1881) in nearby Gill. The schools are now combined.

Europeans bought land here from the Squakheags in 1671, but abandoned it after fighting with American Indians in 1675. There was a second settlement in 1682, but it was abandoned again in 1690, to be resettled for the third time in 1714. The town was incorporated in 1723.

Northfield

City in Rice and Dakota counties, southeastern Minnesota, on the Cannon River, 19 km/12 mi northeast of Faribault; population (1990) 14,700.

Once known for milling flour, Northfield is now the market centre of a large cattle-raising region, and also processes cereals and poultry. Woodworking machinery, polyethylene, research balloons, and solar heating equipment are among its manufactures. The city is the site of Carleton College (founded 1866) and St Olaf College (founded 1874). Northfield achieved fame in 1876 when its inhabitants foiled a bank robbery by the Jesse James gang.

Northfield

Town in Washington County, central Vermont; population (1990) 5,600. It is located on Interstate 89, 16 km/10 mi south-southwest of Montpelier.

A former railway centre, Northfield is home to Norwich University, the oldest military college in the USA (founded 1819). Its industries include the manufacture of textiles and hosiery, forestry, the production of maple syrup, and granite and slate quarrying. The town embraces the settlements of Northfield village, South Northfield, Northfield Falls, and Northfield Center.