HISTORY OF THE GRANGE

Built in 1929 by the local farmers and the community as Grange Hall #738 for the Great Falls chapter of the Fraternal Order of Husbandry , this craftsman style public assembly hall has been the site of private and community gatherings throughout its history. The building itself is a 1 1/2 story American Craftsman style brick building with a gable front and concrete pillars support its front porch. 

The Grange movement began after the Civil War to give farmers a voice with state legislatures., lower shipping rates charged by railroads and in favour of rural free mail delivery . The first Grange was founded in 1869 in Fredonia , NY and still exists today.  The Great Falls Grange is a product of the Grange Movement that swept rural America shortly after the turn of the century. The Grange was built a a symbol of commitment to community involvement and progress. The Grange movement was founded by Oliver Hudson Kelley in 1867 in Western New York and was an international organisation b y 1906. The Grange was a supporter of women's rights to vote and one of the first nongovernmental organizations to provide international assistance to those in need.  It is still the political voice of  the American Farmer , provides social activities and education instruction for its members. The Great Falls , then Forestville , chapter was founded in 1920.  

Prospective members bought shares into the organization.  For several years, the chapter met in the loft of a local sawmill and then the Forstville schoolhouse while they raised money for the land purchase and the construction of a meeting hall. In 1929 , the Grange was built for $12,500 and featured the latest in kitchen and heating equipment. It was one of the five grange halls that served the dairy farming community. Dairy farming was the predominant form of agriculture in the county and Fairfax County was the leading producer in Virginia until 1933. 

The spacious, naturally lit upstairs room has hardwood floors, barrel vaulted bead board ceiling and many original fixtures. A raised, fully curtained stage is at one end of the room.  Wood for the bead board ceiling and wainscoting is thought to come from the local sawmill. The lower level has a small office area and a plain , but well lit meeting room with a pass through to the large country kitchen from which dinners at community socials would be served. Built in glass fronted cabinets flank either side of the pass through. The Grange was a focus point for all community life, hosting ice cream socials, dances, carnivals, theatrical productions and other special events. 

With declining membership and the reduction in dairy farming, the Grange and its grounds were sold to the Park Authority in 1981.  

The Great Falls Grange is the last standing unaltered Grange Hall in Virginia and is listed on the inventory of Fairfax County inventory of Historic Sites, with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and on the National Register of Historic Places.