Monticello Grange No. 338 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Monticello Grange #338
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Main St., 0.7 mi. S of jct. with Muckatee Rd., Monticello, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1922 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 00000760 |
| Added to NRHP | July 05, 2000 |
The Monticello Grange No. 338 is a special old building in Monticello, Maine. It stands on United States Route 1 in the heart of the town. This building was constructed in 1922 by a local group called the Grange. For many years, it was the only place in town for big events. It hosted social gatherings, important town meetings, and even school graduations. Today, it is still used for some of these purposes. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
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What is a Grange?
The Grange is a community organization. It is officially known as the Patrons of Husbandry. This group was started to help farmers and their families. Granges often built halls like the one in Monticello. These halls became important centers for learning, social events, and community support. They helped bring people together in rural areas.
The Grange Hall's Design
The Monticello Grange hall is located on the east side of US 1. It is just north of School Street. The building is two and a half stories tall. It is made of wood and has a front-facing gable roof. The outside of the building is covered with its original tin siding.
The front of the building faces west. It has a main entrance in the middle. There are windows on each side of the door. On the second floor, there is one window above the entrance. Another window is above the left window below. A single window is also found in the top part of the roof.
Inside the Building
When you enter the Grange hall, you first step into a small entryway. To the left, there is a coat room. Stairs to the right lead up to the second floor. A door from the entryway opens into a large dining room. Bathrooms are located at the back of this room. The kitchen is behind the coat room.
The second floor holds the main meeting hall for the Grange members. This large room is where the Grange held its official meetings. A stage is located at the east end of this hall. This stage was used for performances and presentations.
A Place for the Community
Monticello's Grange chapter was started in 1899. They built their first meeting hall that same year. Sadly, that building was destroyed by fire in 1921. The current building was built to replace it the very next year, in 1922.
For many years, the hall was used for many different things. It even housed the town offices and town meetings for a while. It also hosted many social events for the community. The local school did not have a large meeting space until 1974. Because of this, school graduations and other school events were held at the Grange hall. The town offices moved to a building next door in 1980. The Monticello Grange Hall has truly been a central part of the town's life for over a century.
See also
