The Defeat of Jesse James Days - Northfield, MN. - Festivals on Waymarking.com

"On a bright and sunny Thursday in September of 1876, eight bandits rode into Northfield intent on robbing the First National Bank. The date was September 7 and the time was 2:00PM. Later it would be called "a text-book James-Younger bank robbery" and it began with three of their number entering the bank and announcing that this was a holdup. The desperadoes ordered the three bank employees to open the safe but were told that the door was locked and could not be opened.

Meanwhile, out on the street, local citizens began to arm themselves when one of the merchants discovered the robbery in progress. Upon this discovery, two of the gang members sprang to their saddles and began firing their pistols and yelling for all to leave the area or be shot. This forced the three remaining robbers to enter the fray. The first to fall was a Swedish immigrant named Nicholas Gustafson, who remained on the street, not understanding English. Gustafson wounded in the head and died several days later.

It lasted but seven minutes and when it was over, two of the robbers lay dead in the street with two more badly wounded. As the remaining six ruffians fled to the south and the west, the largest manhunt in the history of these United States was being organized. Frank and Jessie James were not caught after the botched raid, but the Younger brothers were captured and Charlie Pitts was killed after a furious gun battle near Madelia, Minnesota, two weeks later.

The heroes that day were many: J.S. Allen, the merchant who first sounded the alarm; A.R. Manning, who shot a horse , wounded Cole Younger and killed William Chadwell using only a single shot rifle; Henry Wheeler, who killed Clell Miller and wounded Bob Younger with an old army carbine his found in the lobby of the Dampier Hotel; and the one who gave the most that day, Joseph Lee Heywood, who died because he wouldn't open the bank vault and betray the trust of the owners of the bank. It is the extraordinary courage of these ordinary men that we honor on the weekend after Labor Day each Year." (quoted from The Defeat of Jesse James Days brochure)

The Defeat of Jesse James Days is an incredible 5 days of fun and events including a horseshoe hunt, golf tournament, arts and crafts shows, rodeo, tractor pulls, bike tours, soap box derby, carnival and rides, parades, car show, and dances. There are also live reenactments of the events on September 7, 1976.

How many days does the festival last?: 5 Admission Price: 4.00 (listed in local currency) National, County, or City Festival?: City Coordinates Location:: N 44° 27.339 W 093° 09.625 coordinates of the bank building. Website:: [Web Link]

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