I STOOD NEXT TO THE RIVER, camera aimed across the dark waters of the Cannon River to the historic building on the east bank. To the building with the gaping hole on the top floor. I struggled to hold my zoom lens still in the fierce wind of the bitterly cold Sunday afternoon. Viewing the devastating scene before me, I felt a deep sense of loss. No image I framed can fully capture the depths of loss for this southeastern Minnesota community. Material. Financial. Historic. Emotional.
Last Thursday, November 12, at around 3:30 pm, fire broke out in a restaurant’s meat smoker inside the historic Archer House in downtown Northfield and quickly spread. The 1877 sprawling inn anchors the historic downtown on the north end. It’s perhaps the most recognizable of this community’s landmarks and much-loved.
Today, the future of the aged building, which housed three restaurants—including Smoqe House, where the fire began, the 40-room inn and a gift shop—remains uncertain.
But of one thing I’m certain, if this historic river inn can be saved, it will be.
When I photographed the fire, water and smoke-damaged structure days after the fire, many others were doing the same. After viewing the inn from the west side of the Cannon, I moved to the east side, along Division Street, to get a full front view. This “landmark for hospitality and elegance” built in the French Second Empire Style stood tall and stately still, yet marred now by shattered windows, missing roof, fallen brick, and other debris.
First I photographed from across the street, atop the hill by the Northfield Public Library, stepping across a dormant flowerbed next to a wrought iron railing. Later I descended to street level to also include the street barriers and yellow tape that keep onlookers away from the scene.
No matter the photographic perspective, the view looked the same. Devastating.
But as the good people of Northfield do—just as they did in 1876 to defeat the James-Younger Gang during a raid at the First National Bank—they’ve rallied. The Northfield Downtown Development Corporation has established an Archer House Relief Fund to assist and provide economic relief for the river inn and its tenants. The goal is $25,000. If you are able and inclined to contribute, please do so by clicking here.
I don’t need to tell you these are challenging days in general. But then, to throw a fire into the mix of difficult times, well, it can all feel overwhelming.
© Copyright 2020 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
I hope this historic landmark csn be restored. 😢
Me, too.
This indeed was a sad incident for Northfield and we are grieving.
Absolutely understandable reaction.
Not that I’m smarter than anyone else, but the words meat smoker and old building don’t sound like a good combination. I agree, the town will consider restoration a “mission”. Just something about those old buildings. A beautiful landmark, lots of memories there. Great pictures!
I had the same thought about smoker and old building. And, yes, I think too that restoring the beloved Archer House will become a community “mission.”
Thanks for these photos and perspective. As a Northfield historian, I was interviewed by WCCO and KSTP TV on Friday. I have been sharing a story I wrote about the history of this historic 1877 gem after a $1.1 million renovation in 2011. Here is the link to that. https://entertainmentguidemn.com/archer-house-from-grand-opening-to-open-house/
Thanks for sharing that link to your story, Susan, and for all your efforts to record history. I saw one of your TV interviews. Thank you for being the voice of history in Northfield.
This truly is a sad event for the Archer House and Northfield which has done such a great job of preserving its history. Somehow they will restore and save the landmark. Archer House has special memories for the Hondl family. My sisters, mother and I spend a weekend there in Nov. 2013 reminiscing and gathering ideas for our book. It was a rare “girls weekend” we will never forget.
Bernadette, thank you for sharing your Archer House story. What a lovely memory.
I saw this on the KARE 11 news online and was sad to see this historic building burning. It looks like it isn’t a total loss and hopefully it can be restored to it’s pre fire condition.
I’m hoping for the same.
What a beautiful building and what a sad day but hopefully the Inn will be able to be rebuilt over time.
I hope so. It’s such a beautiful building, a place of memories, of history.