Harrison Grange Celebrates 70 Years

By Summer Crosby | St Maries Gazette Record

To join the Harrison Grange, an individual was supposed to be at least 14 years old.

Marian Jones was 13.

“When my parents would attend, I would have to stay in the kitchen,” Ms. Jones said. “It was Pop Jones, who would eventually be my father-in-law, who said  ‘That kid doesn’t need to be in the kitchen; we’re all out here.’”

Ms. Jones has been a member of the Harrison Grange for 69 years, which celebrates it’s 70th anniversary at 6 p.m. Saturday with a potluck dinner. Idaho State Grange Master Don Johnson and his wife, Mary, will attend. The public is invited.

The Harrison Grange was organized in April 25, 1942 by L.E. Kegley with 42 charter members. H.J. Fabricius was the first Grange Master.

Don Heikkila, who serves as Grange Master today, said the Grange was initially organized as an agriculture organization in 1867, and is the oldest in the nation.  “It’s also served as the social center for our small community as well as Granges all Across America, Mr. Heikkila said”  Many Granges in the country organized Grange cooperatives.  “Kootenai County Pomona organized an agriculture store in Post Falls that still serves  today, but is owned by Cooperative Supply, Inc. in Coeur d”Alene, which is affiliated with CHS (Cenex).

The Harrison Grange rented the Odd Fellows Hall, which now serves as the senior center, from the date it was organized up until 1944 when the current building was purchased  The building was built in 1917 as A. P. Powell’s Pool Hall, and still has the original “Rip-Proof Overall Sign painted on the side of the building.

The Grange was extremely popular when it was first started in the Harrison community and had upwards of 150 members. Today, only about 37 people belong to the Grange.

“The reason is that you used to have to belong to the organization to get insurance,” Mr. Heikkila said. “When the legislature said you don’t have to do that anymore, we lost several of our members.”

Member demographics have also changed. While families with children attended back in the day, those who are a part of the organization today tend to be in the later years of their lives.

“As the baby boom generation retires, they are the ones that are the most active in the organization,” Mr. Heikkila said.

Despite changes, the Harrison Grange has not lost sight of its place in the community.

“It’s always has been a community service organization,” Mr. Heikkila said. “We also work toward resolutions and political changes for our country, and many of those start at the local level. It was the National Grange that worked toward free mail delivery to rural areas, but that started out at a local level Grange similar to this one.”

Today, the Harrison Grange provides a $500 scholarship which is awarded in memory of a former Kootenai teacher, Billy Ryan.

The Grange sponsors numerous activities including a Christmas dinner for the community, and organizes a Spring Fling and Oktoberfest celebrations annually. The Grange also leases one of it’s lots to the Harrison Library.

The Grange has been used for Well Child Clinics, flu shots, 4-H clubs, Grange Markets and more. The building houses the archives of the Harrison Searchlight and members of the Harrison Old Time Picnic Committee mail out the celebration issue each year from the Grange.

The building is available to rent for events such as weddings, anniversary celebrations and more. “The building is also registered with the county as an emergency shelter and would be available in the event of an emergency,” Mr. Heikkila said. “There’s a wood stove and a wood-fired oven we can cook on.”

The Harrison Grange building was listed with the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Harrison Commercial Historic District in 1996.  “Since we are close to the Harrison Library we can receive their high-speed internet signal in the Grange Hall.  Our Grange is likely one of few in the nation that may have access to that service.  We certainly value having the Library next door and share our Grange Park with library patrons.  We are currently working on establishing a rock garden behind both buildings”, Mr. Heikkila said.

The interior of the building was remodeled in 2009 by members John Brewster and his wife, Karen, who donated time and material.  “They were able to make significant improvements and we certainly appreciate their generous donation,” Mr. Heikkila said.

At the Grange’s celebration, State Grange Master Don Johnson will conduct a District III Conference for members and guests from all over North Idaho and will discuss what programs are available from State and National Grange. Mr. Heikkila said there will also be some history on display as well with an old photo collection of the city, which was donated by Mr. Fabricius’ sister-in-law, Amanda.  The Grange windows have old-time farm tools and household items on display.