Northfield was chartered in 1781. Northfield, was settled between 1785 and the 1820s by Yankees from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and older Vermont towns. The period saw the development of four distinct villages: South Village, Center Village, Factory Village, and Northfield Falls. South Village, with numerous small businesses, became the first to have a distinct identity. Center Village followed, where the first post office, town clerk’s office, and churches were established, coming to serve as Northfield's social and political center. Factory Village (now the
village of Northfield), named for the woolen mill, developed next. Lastly, Northfield Falls thrived by the late 1820s. Initially centered around farming and barter, Northfield's economic activities diversified. Potash production thrived until about 1814, after which
Elijah Paine's woolen mill became a major employer. Wool prices declined in the 1840s, but
Charles Paine, Elijah Paine's son and president of the Vermont Central Railroad constructed the railroad through town and established its headquarters in Northfield. Hundreds worked for the line. In 1852, the railroad changed ownership and gradually moved to
St. Albans, causing the town's population to decline. In 1889, the first granite shed was built. More were constructed, and by the outbreak of
World War I, over 525 people were employed in the granite sheds. Later, the granite industry faced challenges, leading to closures, and by 1954, only the Rock of Ages plant was left. The last plant, Cetrangolo Finishing Works, was closed in 1999. ==Geography==