The Grange: A Fraternity of Farmers that Championed Rural America

Join us as agricultural historian T.J. Malaskee delves into the long-forgotten history of America’s first fraternity of farmers, the Grange. The Grange was a radical post-Civil War Era movement that pushed for progressive measures to heal the nation through agriculture, education, equality, and social interaction as the United States saw growing tension between western rural farmers and eastern urban industrialists.

The Grange—more formally known as the Patrons of Husbandry—was founded by Minnesota Farmer Oliver H. Kelley in 1867, and the rural movement took off here in his home state, eventually reaching a membership of over one million men and women across the country. Find out more about this intriguing history and learn how the Grange has played a role in your life today! The cost to attend is $10/adults, $7/members, and $5/children.