Assist Displaced Workers From Archer House Fire in Northfield

Our Professional Pride Realty show in Northfield is always a good time and the day before Thanksgiving was no exception. We visited with Northfield Chamber President Lisa Peterson and Membership and Special Events Coordinator Jane Bartho about shopping local for the holidays.

Shop Local Saturday is this weekend but Peterson says the Northfield Chamber is encouraging people to shop local, "All season long."

Peterson also brought a special guest to the program to update us on the results of the tragic Archer House fire. Northfield Downtown Development Corporation Executive Director Greg Siems gave details about the Archer House Relief Fund set up online to assist workers and businesses displaced by the November 12, 2020 fire.

Siems says, "Immediately we were contacted by local artist David Allen who decided to go ahead and paint a portrait of the Archer House live on Facebook as a way to raise awareness about the campaign. He has very generously been selling prints of the painting and all the proceeds of that will go towards the fundraiser."

Siems stated, "We're currently auctioning off the original which people can find out information about on our website which is nddc.org. It's currently on display in the front window of All Means Graphics on Bridge Square."

"We are very grateful for the generosity the community has shown, The fundraiser itself is over $12,000. When we add the proceeds from the painting and the prints it will be even more." Siems added.

It took Allen 16 hours to complete his painting.

I asked the Northfield Downtown Development Corporation Executive Director if rebuilding has been determined. His response, "I don't think anybody really knows for sure. Until all of the investigations and the fire marshall does their thing and the structural engineers and all those folks, It's a hundred and however many year old building so it's hard to value and hard to appreciate what was lost."

No official cause has been announced by authorities.

The Archer House website says they, "Will remain closed through 2021."

The dowtown Northfield, Minnesota hotel opened August 23,1877 nearly a year after the James Younger gang attempted to rob the First National Bank in downtown Northfield.

You can listen to audio of the program in it's entirety below.