Posted: 5/16/07
Save the Grange ... and bring a dish to pass
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By Anne Thom
A couple of years ago, I asked a colleague I was carpooling with about a building on Cedarcrest Trail. "What is the Oak Leaf Grange?" The colleague's response was that she had been inside the building once attending a craft show and "it has a stage."
I knew the word "grange." Somewhere in the part of the brain that files trivial information I remembered it from reading Jane Eyre in high school, or from reading the credits of Led Zeppelin's recordings. The band had recorded at a place called Headley Grange. Since Charlotte Bronte and the members of Led Zeppelin hailed from England, I wasn't sure why there was a Grange standing in Fish Lake Township. I filed that question away in the part of the brain that stores "Things to Find out Someday."
In my limited capacity as a Post Review reporter, I traveled to the township board meeting one evening in April. "Oak Leaf Grange," read an agenda item on the white board. I was determined to sit through the business dealings in order to find out something, someday.
Late in the meeting, Town Board Supervisor Bob Cupit said, "Arlene, why don't you come on up here." It was time to talk Granges. As happens at town board meetings, everyone seemed to know who the lady was and although she laughed and smiled, her business was serious. We were in danger of losing the Oak Leaf Grange.
I had seen the "for sale" sign that had gone up in front of the building several months ago. Arlene Burda spoke to the board about securing the township's help to reduce the valuation of the property and get a "more reasonable tax obligation." The supervisors present, chair Bob Carter and Cupit, said they were willing to go to the county to try to work out a deal. There was some brief discussion then about how to broaden public support for both the building and "the organization." Anything that hints at secret societies and lost history brings out the Nancy Drew in most women. I raised my hand tentatively and offered that maybe I could help with broadening public support in my limited capacity as a newspaper reporter. I duly noted a luncheon and business meeting would be held on May 5.
The first thing a reporter tries to do is her research. I went online then, not wanting to be caught sneaking around the Oak Leaf Grange, peering in the windows. I could not find any pictures of our Grange, but under nationalgrange.org I came up with a treasure trove of general historical information.
The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry is the nation's oldest agriculture organization, formed in 1867. For you single ladies from urban areas, husbandry actually refers to agriculture and careful management of resources. It does not refer to finding that special someone. The purpose being to "provide service to agriculture and rural areas on a wide variety of issues, including economic development, education, family endeavors, and legislation designed to assure a strong and viable Rural America."
One of the seven founders was Minnesota's own Oliver Kelley whose legacy in rural heritage is celebrated at the Kelley Farm historical site in Elk River. The Oak Leaf Grange members told me Grange societies were started "to do good for the farmers," Member Arlene Burda said "the Grange Society is the grandfather of all farm organizations"
I drove up to the Oak Leaf Grange just before noon on Saturday and had the good fortune to immediately speak to Shirley Colliander, Oak Leaf Grange member since 1953 and former Grange Society secretary and Grange Master. I met Bruce Burda, Lois Johnson and Arlene Burda. Bruce told me he has been a Grange member since he was 14 years old and is the fourth generation of the Burda family to belong. They joked that Arlene, his sister-in-law, had "married into the Grange" joining in 1973. Lois had joined in 1941. This is the core group who keep the Oak Leaf Grange alive in Fish Lake Township and the town of Stark. The Oak Leaf Grange membership has fallen to 14 members as people have moved away or passed away. As the group told me "participation requires time." I asked what the criteria is in order to become a member of the Grange Society. A. Burda laughed and said, "you're alive and breathing, you've met it." Supervisor Cupit, also in attendance, and I both joined.
Membership is open to anyone 14 years of age and older, presumably with an interest in the mission of advocating for the rural community. The initiation fee is $5 and the annual membership dues are $15.
Cupit has championed the cause of the Grange to the township board and is now focused on taking it to both the township residents and the county. All three Fish Lake Township board members are willing to work with Grange. Should the Oak Leaf Grange lose the hall, the township is willing to waive the fee for rental of the Fish Lake Township Hall in order to see the Grange Society continue as a community organization. Community is something we are fast losing in the modern age.
Cupit asked if they have tried to have the hall designated as a historical site. Arlene said the Grange had looked at that but "...let's put it this way, this is a plain Jane building...." That seemed like a feasible idea though as Arlene handed me a history of Oak Leaf grange No. 569 written by Halger O. Warner. Warner states secretary's minutes have either been lost or destroyed, but notes that in the true tradition of thrifty rural folks, the treasurer's minutes survive.
The treasurer's first entry for the Grange is dated Dec. 9, 1896. The society collected fees totaling $74 from those charter members and paid $25 to one Johanna Peterson to purchase the acre of land the hall is built on. The hall was built by Grange Society members and neighborhood volunteers in 1897.
Bruce and Clarence Burda maintain the building. The cost to rent the Oak Leaf Grange is $35-$50 per day. There are no restroom facilities. The Grange does have a good old outhouse out back and those who rent the hall are free to bring in their own port a-potties. There is also no running water in the Grange hall, but there is electricity, an electric stove and oven and a refrigerator in a usable though primitive kitchen. Most importantly, there is charm and history that you cannot put a price on. Functions held at the Oak Leaf Grange have included dances, weddings, 4-H meetings, Christmas parties, graduations, anniversary parties and class reunions. Fish Lake Township Board meetings and elections were held there until the township hall was built.
Many township residents may also have seen the for sale sign. The Grange owes approximately $1,500 in back taxes from 2004 to 2007.
The county assessor has valued the property at $39,500. The township is working with the Grange and the county to lower the market value to $12,500, slightly less than the average cost of an acre of land in Chisago County.
The value of the hall is negligible.
The Oak Leaf Grange has approached several local historical societies about purchasing the property and sadly, none could afford to buy it. Almelund, Springvale, Harris, Maple Ridge, Dalbo and Rush City also had Grange societies. The Oak Leaf Grange is the only surviving Grange in the area.
The Grange society has a contract with the real estate agent who has listed it. The Grange reserves the right to refuse a bid. The society does not have to pay the realtor unless there is a sale. There is a one year window to sell the property. There are some things in the hall, furniture and the kitchen appliances that could be auctioned off and an appraiser may be called in to take a look.
Sadly and unbelievably, things of value have been stolen during break-ins, including the Oak Leaf Grange charters, which were stolen within the last year.
Bruce Burda related the story of how he had stopped one day to check on the hall and noted a break-in. Remembering county deputies had said that law enforcement should be called first so that evidence would not be disturbed, he left the scene and placed a call to the Sheriff's office. Before he left to do that he did note the Grange charters were visible on the lawn behind the hall as if stacked there to be picked up by the thief.
He also noted the ATV tracks indicating a person in close proximity to the hall is potentially the burglar.
Burda returned to the hall to await the deputy and as he returned, noted the charters and other items of value were now gone. The thief was likely hiding in the building and in Burda's absence to make the call to law enforcement, had picked up the items and vanished. "I could have stolen the stuff back," Burda said. How low can some of your neighbors go.
The plan is now to lobby the county for tax abatement of the $1,500 incurred over the last three years. Bruce Burda as the principal Grange officer will attach a letter requesting tax abatement to a form brought by Cupit. The back taxes could be repealed based on hardship and organizational status as a historic organization. It is unclear if the Grange Society has status as a non-profit which would benefit them. There will need to be a public hearing to discuss the request for abatement. The Grange members said they wanted to thank Chisago County Administrator John Moosey, and Chisago County commissioners Mike Robinson and Lynn Schultz who had graciously entertained their requests for assistance. It was noted however that commissioners Ben Montzka and Bob Gustafson, arguably representing a less rural part of the county, didn't appear to be sympathetic.
For the future there was discussion on potential fund-raising efforts to insure the continuation of the Oak Leaf Grange. Cupit noted that in attracting new members there was the danger of upsetting the way of life the current members with their nearly 200 years of Grange membership were accustomed to.
"The more new blood, the more weird ideas you might get. The demographics are different." Cupit said. He is hopeful they will attract new members who are invested in the Grange idea not "...just looking for something to do on a Saturday."
We spent a few minutes this Saturday trying to find the for sale sign. It was lying in the grass and the post it hangs on had gone missing and was not located.
The Oak Leaf Grange is hopeful the sense of community the organization embodies can be located.
The next meeting will be Saturday, June 9 at noon. When asked if anything is sent out to regular member to remind them of the monthly meeting Lois Johnson said, "No, we just holler at them." Consider this a holler to join the Oak Leaf Grange. Bring your membership fees, your proposals for fund-raising and a dish to pass.
Comment from Carla Heinke, 5/28/07
Why should the long-term survival of a "community organization" depend on the continued existence of a particular building?
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