Discover the history of the first Oregon Grange, organized in 1872, only five years after the National Grange was founded in Washington, D.C. The movement spread quickly when granges in the Midwest succeeded in lobbying for state legislatures to regulate rates charged by railroads and grain elevators, among other political wins. At its height, when Oregon had over 300 community granges with total membership up to 30,000, the State Grange had real influence in Salem. While today the numbers are smaller, author and historian Marilyn Reiher explains how the grange movement carries on serving the needs of its communities.
Marilyn Reiher is author of Oregon State Grange: Serving Communities for 150 Years. She is a lifetime member of North Bayside Grange in Coos County and an affiliate member of Winona Grange in Tualatin, where she served as president for eight years.
