Rebuilding The Rutherford Grange
Rutherford’s Re-Organizers: Dave Pina, Executive Committee, Michael Meade, Overseer,
Susan Hirschy, Master, Peg Cann, Executive Committee and Nick Cann, Gatekeeper.
High resolution photo download
On June 12, 1914, Mr. Frank L. Hunt and a small group of family farmers gathered in Yount Township in Napa County to start a new Subordinate Grange, Rutherford Grange #371. Two years later, on June 17, 1916 Rutherford Grangers dedicated their hall. Their membership had increased to 165 members.
Jump ahead 93 years. Both the Rutherford Grange organization and the hall were in sad shape. The structure of the building was in need of repair, and the structure of the Grange itself was almost non-existent. The hall, it was found, had a migrating wall, broken trusses and other problems that needed immediate attention. There were now just four members, making it an impossible task.
The Membership Director for the California State Grange at the time was Bob McFarland. Working with a handful of interested citizens from Napa and Rutherford, they generated enough interest to hold a re-vitalization meeting on June 9, 2009. It was determined that the Rutherford Grange should persevere, and many of those original 19 were sworn in as officers of the Rutherford Grange. Construction on both the hall and the organization has been going on ever since.
President and construction crew chief of the Rutherford Grange is Susan Hirschy. She and her team have taken the Rutherford Grange membership in just 9 months from four to 64 members. And they are still growing. The goal for June, 2011 is to have 165 members, the same as originally moved into the hall in 1916.
The hall is also well on its way to recovery. There are plans to renovate both inside and out, but those plans also call for returning the hall to its roots, restoring it to its 1916 luster. We asked Sue to comment on renovations:
“Thanks to the State Grange loaning us funds and some really generous donations from Napa Valley residents, we are on our way to repairing the truss system and re-roofing. Our goal and the wishes of the community is that Rutherford Grange be sensitively restored to its historic Shingle-style cladding, adding back some of the eave and corbel details that were removed in the 60s when stucco was added to the exterior. Mostly, we are thrilled to be on the way to keeping the rains out and becoming a participating part and cornerstone building of the beautiful, mid-Valley township of Rutherford. “
We also asked her what they were doing to grow the Grange.
“We’ve re-implemented the Ranch Style Breakfasts of the past, which have been very successful in bringing the community together. The produce is local and organic. We have marketing and hospitality events to bring consumers to the local businesses; we have begun a Rutherford Children’s Chorus, started a Lecture Series on Topics of Interest to the Community and Members, and opened our doors to the Public, many of which had never been inside the Grange.
“Our favorite question is “What is a Grange?” Boy, are we getting good at answering that. People are impressed with the building, history of the Grange Movement and want to be a part of it, however large or small.
“We want to offer a home to a theatre company and we have many wine tastings, craft fairs, along with our Spring Ball, Harvest to Table event and a Dinner Theatre night planned. We are planning Family Movie Nights, Spaghetti Dinners and Socials. We do as much as we can without overtaxing the members we have, but so far people have stepped up willingly to take responsibility. We’ve become a group of good friends, a family actually, that wants to help do what Granges do, support the agricultural community and community at large and help them to thrive.
We also asked her if she had any advice to other Granges which are trying to revitalize their organization in the community.
“Start by passing out fliers a few day prior to your meetings in the immediate surrounding neighborhoods inviting them to come drive the direction of the Grange, get emails with your applications and make sure people know the grange is there for them. Reach out to local businesses who will benefit with programs you can implement, let 4-H, boy and girl scout troops know you have a low-cost venue to offer them and put up a website ($99 a year), facebook page and events calendar. It will be instrumental in gaining and keeping track of those interested and all their great ideas.”
We congratulate Rutherford Grange, and all the Granges in the State who are working to return the Grange to its roots by making their local Grange an integral asset to their communities.