In 1867, shortly after the end of the Civil War, Oliver Kelley founded the first Grange (otherwise known as "Patrons of Husbandry") with the purpose of "promoting the spiritual and social well-being of farm families."
As farmers settled the plains states, Granges sprung up, aiding farmers in fighting for regulations like those to cap railroad and grain elevator charges. In June of 1873, farmers in Greenfield organized the first Grange in the Bay State. However, it wasn't until the winter of 1932 that the Greenfield Grange—aka the Guiding Star Grange—built a permanent home on the corner of Silver and Chapman Streets.
The Grange, despite being beset with pressing money problems, proved a bedrock of community support through the Great Depression, allowing organizations that were "interested in community service" to use the hall for free. Over the next 50 years, the Grange saw its share of problems—declining membership, rural location, fickle economic trends. In 1980 the hall became the official site for Friday night contradances, a tradition that continues to this day.
On the first Friday of every month, The Moving Violations, featuring Van Kaynor, Ron Grosslein, Becky Ashenden and Chuck Corman, perform Swedish and contradance music. On the second, fourth and fifth Fridays of the month, the Greenfield Dance Band, with special guests, performs. (The Grange is usually available for renting on the third Fridays of the month.) Every first Saturday, five-member folk dance band Wild Asparagus performs, while Tophill Music presents dances on the second and fourth Saturdays. Every third Saturday, Brattleboro-based fiddler Ethan Hazzard-Watkins hosts a new series of music and dance.
The Grange also hosts Scandinavian dance workshops with live music every third Sunday, as well as occasional gender-role-free contradances.
The Guiding Star Grange is located at 401 Chapman St., Greenfield, (413) 772-0501, www.guidingstargrange.org.
