Empire Grange #148

The Beginning

April 1, 1904 the National Grange chartered the Subordinate Empire Grange with a membership of 17 as of December 31st of that year. The Charter (see picture to left) shows no city, only a county, the consequence of not yet having a formal building.

Although there was no formal grange building at that time, the membership grew rapidly, with 1905 seeing a membership of 26, and 1906 a membership of 66. By the time 1911 rolled around, the membership list in the accounts showed a total of 122 members.

The Building

The Empire Grange Hall was first planned in 1910, when the Maxwells donated land from their dairy farm on West Mulberry St. in Fort Collins for the hall. The bricks were donated The first meeting in the building was held June 11, 1912 and the building was dedicated July 19,1912.

This is a photo of the Empire Grange surrounded by sugar beets, showing the rural nature at that time.

Over the Years

The Empire Grange was organized in 1902 and received its charter in March, 1904. It was the seventh grange formed in Larimer County, Colorado, which had thirteen granges by the 1940s. Empire Grange is now the longest-enduring Grange in Larimer County, and one of more than fifty Granges still active in the state of Colorado.