The Salisbury Grange #642 Photo Courtesy of the Salisbury Grange Group Facebook Page.
Story by Carol Vogel
The Salisbury Grange is working hard to get ready for their upcoming calendar of events featuring an open house with raffles, a rummage sale, and a murder mystery luncheon. They are looking for new members and volunteers to help get the Grange up and running so it can once again contribute to the community as it has in the past. Charles Hayden, President of the Grange as well as board members Nora Cool-Guinup and Brenda Barton, were available to talk about the origins and importance of the Grange in our community.
What is the Grange?
The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry was founded in 1867 as a family and community organization in support of agricultural endeavors. The group is described as “a nonprofit, nonpartisan, fraternal organization that advocates for rural America and agriculture and brings rural communities together,” according to the national website www.nationalgrange.org.
“It’s the oldest farming organization in the country,” Charles added.
The Grange gave Farmers a voice in what railroads and warehouses charged to ship and store their goods as Farmers were being overcharged. The Grange gave Farmers the opportunity to assemble to advocate for fair rates so everyone could be profitable.
Many of the founding members were Masons, so quite a few of their secretive rituals, like the secret member’s only handshake, were incorporated into The Grange rules. At the time, this was meant to keep the Grange safe from anyone trying to spy on their rural chapter meetings, such as men from the railroads regarding fees and rates.
“Along with being a social and service organization, the Grange is the nation’s oldest agriculture advocacy group. Being a Grange member opens the door to interacting with legislators to advocate on behalf of rural America and agriculture. Local Granges hold regular meetings to discuss issues like rural broadband access, climate change, and rural healthcare. As the Grange is a grassroots organization, policy recommendations are adopted in local Granges, passed by State Granges, and moved to the National Grange who advocates for them in Washington, D.C. with Congress and other federal agencies.” What is The Grange? PDF
Women in the Grange:
The Grange was created by a group of seven men and one woman, Caroline Hall. Through the Grange, women were given the chance to come out of the home to showcase their talents in things like quilt making and sewing, to discuss issues with other women and to learn new skills. “Basically, it was a community socialization place,” Nora commented.
The Grange was a major proponent behind some of the most progressive legislation in the United States in the early twentieth century, including the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, which granted women the right to vote. Ahead of the curve compared to many fraternal organizations when it comes to women’s rights and equality, women can hold any of the offices of the Grange, while men can only hold 9!
Local Chapter #624:
The Salisbury Grange #624 was chartered on January 25, 1890, and is located at 2550 Route 29 in Salisbury Center across from the Fire Department. One of only two Grange chapters left in Herkimer County, it is an important historical and viable organization the community needs. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
Brenda Barton, a board member and also the Town of Salisbury Historian, explained, “You have to have a certain number of members in order to keep your charter, and especially with Covid, the numbers went down. The only way we get money is by fundraising, and during Covid, you couldn’t do anything. Now we are all getting together to do some fundraising, so we have money to pay the bills and keep the building in good shape.” After being closed for four years, money was tight. “We started with no money this year. Charlie even paid some bills out of his own pocket this winter!” Their dedication to their community is evident.
Charles explains that due to strict Grange rules and regulations, “We pay dues, but we don’t get to keep any of the money. It goes to the State Grange, and then they give half to the National Grange. So we don’t get any of the benefits of dues. We do have the right to increase dues ourselves over the primary dues, but we don’t do that. I mean, money is tight for everyone.” According to their laws, The Grange can’t sell anything or have a store, but they can take donations and have fundraisers or sell tickets to fundraising events.
The current members have a list of ideas and events to get their chapter back on the map and ready to serve the community. Now they need members to make it a reality. Nora Cool is proud of the work they do and explained that at the end of each meeting of members, an important question is asked: “Is there anyone that needs help?” Grange members serve their communities by assisting a neighbor in need or organizing a bake sale to raise money for a local school. The Grange truly helps improve the lives of its members and neighbors in the community.
Community Input and Ideation:
In order to educate and get the younger generations involved, Charles and Nora recently visited the Dolgeville School and presented about the Grange to 5 different classes. They are hoping to get feedback from the classes and community about what people would like to see the Grange offer. “Back when I was a kid, I came here all the time for dances. They taught us how to square dance, and a band from the Stratford area of High School kids would come to play for the dance. And they used to have suppers that we would come up for as well,” Nora recalled.
The 2nd floor of the Grange houses a beautiful wood-clad hall with a stage, perfect for dances and theater. Some ideas they have are ice cream socials, dances, CPR classes, movie nights, and allowing the community to rent out the space for events. They will also be cleaning up the kitchen and dining hall space on the 1st floor so the Health Department can come to inspect. This will allow them to start using that space to its full potential. “We have a lot of work to do!” Nora laughs, “We have a good start, but we need more volunteers and new members to help.”
Upcoming Events:
The Salisbury Grange is busy preparing for springtime events. Here’s what’s happening:
Open House April 15th: Showcasing the Grange in the Community and displays of its interesting history. Refreshments served. Raffles will be available for purchase to win a Shotgun and a 10-man tent. Donations are always welcome!
“Shooting at the Grange” Murder Mystery and Catered Luncheon on April 29th at 12pm: Tickets are $20 per person, $35 per couple. Tickets must be purchased in advance from a Grange Member at the Open House or are available at the Salisbury Town Hall, Kirby Free Library, or Rusty Relics in Salisbury.
Community Donation Day May 9th and 10th: – drop off all your good and saleable item donations for the rummage sale to help preserve the Grange.
Rummage Sale May 12 and 13th: Come find treasures and help support the Grange with your purchases! The Grange has coordinated this event with the Salisbury Universalist Church Chicken BBQ on May 12th, so you can shop and grab some great food too!
Become a Member or Volunteer!
The Grange is looking for volunteers and members to help with the upcoming rummage sale, fundraisers, and other events. Monies raised will help with the upkeep of the historic building that houses it and to provide future community events and opportunities for all. Meetings are on the first Monday of the month at 5 pm at the Salisbury Town Hall. You can join their Facebook Group to keep up on events and get more information.
Donations for the Grange can be mailed to Salisbury Center Grange #624 P.O. Box 491 Salisbury Center, N.Y. 13454.