Medicine Mountain Grange Marks 100

By Summer Crosby | St. Maries Gazette Record

The first telephone line was constructed in 1877 and ran from Boston to Somerville, Mass. By the end of 1880, there were more than 47,000 telephones in the United States.

The Medicine Mountain Grange, which turns 100 this year, owned and managed the original telephone line that served the Medimont-Harrison Flats area in the early 1900s.

Chartered in April 1912, the Grange Hall will celebrate its centennial anniversary from 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Cake and punch will be served and displays will feature the history of the Grange. Idaho State Grange Master Don Johnson and his wife, Karen, will attend. The public is invited.

Bev Klein is a fourth-generation member of the Medicine Mountain Grange. Several of her family members were charter members.

AJ Hooper was the first Grange Master. Mrs. Klein’s grandfather, Joseph Moe, who instigated the creation of the Grange, also served as Grange Master at one time.

“Several of my family members had different positions throughout the years. They made my mother (Violet Moe) secretary treasurer before she was old enough to do so because she had extra nice handwriting,” Mrs. Klein said.

Mrs. Klein’s mother also decorated the ballot box which is still used today when a vote is taken.

“There are black balls and white balls and if you had an objection to someone becoming a member you would put a black ball in for your vote,” she said. “I can’t remember a time where we ever blackballed anyone from becoming a member.”

Mrs. Klein’s grandmother, Melissa Moe, and other ladies of the Grange made the sashes the different officers wear.

The original building was in the village of Medimont, near the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. Parking, Mrs. Klein said, was a “nightmare.”

“The hall was close to the railroad tracks and if you parked too close to the tracks, the train could hit your vehicle,” she said. “There was one night when someone’s vehicle did get hit.”

The building served as a community center for the area. Mrs. Klein recalled watching westerns on a reel projector and regular Saturday night dances.

“It was always a fun night out,” Mrs. Klein said. “My grandfather had built a hotel and when the dancers adjourned, they’d head to the hotel dining room for supper at midnight.”

Mrs. Klein said she remembers rolling bandages at the Grange hall during World War II.

“It was used for so many events,” Mrs. Klein said. “It was a multi-use community center.”

The Grange moved to its current location along State 3 in 1971. The hardwood floor from the original building was removed and installed at the new location.

Patsy Walker joined the Grange when she was 13 years old. She said she always enjoyed the social events, and the different things the Grange would do for the community.

“If there’s a complaint here in the area, the master will take it to the county commissioners or officials and talk to the right people,” she said.

She said membership has declined over the years because many people belonged to the Grange so they would qualify for insurance.

“We have less than 50 members today, but it was quite large at times,” Mrs. Walker said.

Mrs. Klein said it is mostly senior citizens who are a part of the Grange.

Today, the Grange still serves as a community center for the area and it is still used by many including the Ladies Club, Boy Scouts, Grange Grannies and more. The Grange also manages the Medimont Cemetery.

“There’s a lot of community spirit that comes through here,” Mrs. Klein said. “We struggle to keep it going, but if we lose our Grange Hall, then we’d lose our community center.”