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Griggs Grange No. 1467
The Griggs Grange No. 1467 is a historic Grange hall located near the village of Jefferson in rural Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. Constructed in the 1890s and occupied by a local Grange since its early years, it has been named a historic site. The building's construction date is uncertain; its first recorded appearance occurred in the early 1890s.[2] Although once used as a house of worship,[1] it has been home to the Griggs Grange since the chapter's founding in April 1897.[2] It was one of almost 850 Ohio agricultural organizations recorded in 1907 by the Interstate Commerce Commission.[3] The group continues meeting in the hall, with most of its finances arising from fundraisers such as raffles.[2] Nationally, Grange membership dropped by 40% between 1992 and 2007,[4] and Ashtabula County's membership has paralleled the national trend; the 1907 Interstate Commerce Commission recorded four Grange chapters in the vicinity of Jefferson alone,[3] but just seven existed countywide in late 2009, at which time Griggs' membership had fallen to the teens.[2] Nevertheless, the group remains active; the statewide Grange organization recognized Griggs for its community service in 2013.[5] Built of wood, the Grange hall is covered with an asphalt roof and rests on a stone foundation.[1] It is a simple gable-front structure with three side windows. The roof projects over the gable to form eaves, while the entrance is set in the center of the gable, sheltered by a tiny roof with simple structural brackets.[6] In late 1995, the Griggs Grange was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, qualifying because of its place in local history. It is one of five National Register-listed locations in and around Jefferson, and one of nearly forty such sites countywide.[1] References
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