Grange History
Every Grange Hall Honor their Past Masters. West Paris Grange has some great photos on their walls.
by State Historian Stan Howe
The origins of the Grange in Maine extend back to the Farmer's Clubs, which were organized in the 1850s. Each club debated agricultural and household issues while both men and women had their separate gatherings. The clubs began to decline after the Civil War and were soon merged into another movement that would attract many of Maine's rural population.
The Grange (officially known as the Patrons of Husbandry) was organized in Washington, D.C. in 1867. It grew slowly during its early years, but arrived in Maine by 1873. The following year, the Maine State Grange was organized in Lewiston. By the end of 1874, there were sixty-four Granges and approximately 2000 members. From the beginning, there was great interest in cooperative activities including offering insurance, advocating railroad and banking regulation, and promoting group purchasing. In 1876, the Order had grown to over 228 Granges with about 12,000 members.
At first, the hard times of the 1870s served as a stimulus to membership growth, but the numbers began to decline as the decade passed. Prosperity returned and good leadership such as that provided by State Master (and later Governor) Frederick Robie of Gorham came into being.
