Grange City, Washington facts for kids

Grange City was once a small community in Columbia County, located in the state of Washington, United States. Today, it's known as a ghost town, meaning it no longer has people living there. The GNIS still lists it as a "populated place," even though it's empty.

What Was Grange City?

Grange City was a settlement that appeared on maps but eventually became empty. It's a classic example of a ghost town, a place where people once lived and worked, but then left, often leaving behind buildings or traces of their lives.

The Grangers and the Town's Name

The community of Grange City got its name from a group called the Grangers. The Grangers were members of the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, often just called the Grange. This was a social and educational organization for farmers in the United States. It was founded after the American Civil War to help farmers with their economic and social needs. Many towns were named after this important farming group.

Why Did Grange City Disappear?

Like many small towns in the past, Grange City's population started to shrink and eventually disappeared. This often happened when new technologies or changes in transportation came along. For Grange City, the arrival of railroads played a big part. When railroads became the main way to transport goods and people, many smaller towns that weren't on the rail lines found it hard to survive. People moved to places with better access to trains, and Grange City slowly became empty.