History · Northern

Northern’s history is
mostly unwritten

The public archives hold no old photos of Northern. The rest are in attics, shoeboxes and the historical society. Help start the collection.

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The story so far

from Wikipedia & the U.S. Census

Northern Township is a township in Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 4,535 as of the 2020 United States Census. Northern Township was named from its location on the north shore of Lake Bemidji. Northern Township was granted incorporation in February 2026 to form the new city of Northern, avoiding annexation into neighboring Bemidji. The township will host its first election for mayor and council on November 3, 2026.

Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 4,657 to 4,535 (-3%). Half of its homes were built before 1988.

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Northern yet — the old photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Intro from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Population and housing: U.S. Census Bureau.

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The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Northern’s history is told.

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Famous people from NorthernWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Northern.Meet them →

By decade

Northern, decade by decade

Before
2000

No old photos in the archives yetWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.

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Then & now

When neighbors add old photos, retakes from the same spot appear here side by side.

Stories next door

nearby towns’ history

📜 Bemidji 📜 Turtle Lake 📜 Turtle River 📜 Turtle River

Northern’s history ismostly unwritten