Jesse James and his brother Frank got their start as Confederate guerrillas during the Civil War, responsible for atrocities against Union soldiers. After the war, they were joined by other infamous outlaws to rob banks and trains and terrorize the Midwest. 
The day they rode into tiny Northfield was the beginning of the end of the gang's 10-year crime spree. They thought the bank was loaded with money, but they were wrong. 
As the men tried to leave the bank and ride out of town, they were shot down by citizens of Northfield. Some were only wounded, but several robbers died and were photographed post mortem, their fatal wounds publicly displayed.
Weapons of the dead robbers are displayed in the museum.
Two of the wounded men were incarcerated in Stillwater Prison. While they were there, they created boxes in the prison woodworking shop.
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Thanks for sharing this C. I read twice and loved the pics. Didn't they make an effort with detail
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post and photos. I especially like your photo of the old bank with a very modern car parked outside!
ReplyDeleteWonderful historical post and photos for OWT ~ intriquing 'gang' ~ xoxo
ReplyDeleteartmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)
Interesting post! My grandmother was related to Jesse & Frank James. Her father was afraid of them (cousins). They were interesting!
ReplyDeleteAs a child I loved watching Westerns on the films and B&W telly. Your pictures and commentary about Jesse James brought back memories of those times.
ReplyDeleteWhat ever happened to Western movies, books and comics? Or are they still there and I grew up?
This is an interesting piece of history and the museum is great.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. Kingsday was great. It's good for a nation to be celebrating together and be united for one day.
Interesting bit of history! Hope your weather is warming up soon!
ReplyDeleteWow, it is an interesting story but so sad.
ReplyDeleteWonderful captures of an interesting piece of history. The impact of this gang was so great that I even heard of stories when I was growing up in the far north of where I live now.
ReplyDeleteInteresting shots. Goes to show that crime doesn't pay.
ReplyDeletelovely pictures :)
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An interesting post. What a pity that the gang members didn't make use of their wodworking skills before getting involved with crime.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your interesting story. We also have a rich history of 1900's terrorist, here in Northern Wis. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting to read.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see this place, but it's a little strange in some way that there is a kind of memorial for criminals, lol ! But the far West was so romantic despite all this shooting and death. All little boys love to play cowboys or read about these "heros", (I included and I am not a little boy, lol)
ReplyDeleteGreat post! The James gang was responsible for stealing my great-grandfather's horses - not at the time of the Northfield robbery, but some time prior. My grandmother told us the story.
ReplyDeleteThey must have been a terror for all those banks but they have become famous with their crimes. Even in Europe we know their names!
ReplyDeleteamazing how we celebrate our bushrangers (well that is what we call them in Australia anyways)
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week and thank you for stopping by my blog.
That's a great story - except from all the dead people. If you know stories from movies, it's funny to see places where they actually happened - love it.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post
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That's a fascinating piece of history, and a pretty unpleasant episode to reenact!
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to see the little bank kept as it was. The museum is a good way to remember history but we have to be careful not to glorify gangsters. We have the same problem with one of our infamous robbers called"Ned Kelly".
ReplyDeleteWow! This was so interesting. I sure didn't know any of this. I'd heard of Jesse James, of course, but not the rest of the story. How wonderful that the citizens were able to end his crime spree.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating piece! I had no idea Jesse James' spree ended right there in Minnesota... thank you for sharing the photos and history lesson :)
ReplyDeleteJesse was one of the men who escaped but the gang was seriously depleted and never as active. Jesse was killed at home by a member of his own gang for the reward a few years after the Northfield robbery.
DeleteWhat a beautiful vault in the bank! Isn't it wonderful that the bank still stands and is now a museum...wonderful! Thanks for the tour! :)
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