North Jay Grange Store facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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North Jay Grange Store
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | ME 17, North Jay, Maine |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1895 |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000150 |
| Added to NRHP | October 23, 1974 |
The North Jay Grange Store is a very old and special building in Jay, Maine. It was once a meeting place for a group called the Grange. It also had a store inside! The Grange is a community group, often for farmers and their families. This building was built in 1895. It replaced an earlier hall that had burned down. When the store closed in 1976, it was said to be the very last of its kind in the entire country. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
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What Does the North Jay Grange Store Look Like?
The North Jay Grange Store is located where several roads meet in the village of North Jay. It's a two-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof at the front and a strong brick foundation. The outside is covered with flat wooden boards called clapboard siding.
Front Porch and Entrances
A porch with a sloped roof stretches across the front of the building. Metal posts hold up the porch, and there's a metal railing too. You can get onto the porch using two sets of stairs or a ramp. Under the porch, there's a large store window and a door for the old shop. On the right side, another double door leads to stairs that go up to the meeting hall.
Inside the Building
Above the porch, on the second floor, you can see three windows. There are also two windows higher up in the pointed part of the roof. The first floor of the building was where the store used to be. The second floor has a big open room for meetings, complete with a stage. On the third floor, there's a kitchen.
A Look at the Store's History
The North Jay Grange group started in 1874. Their first building was built in 1889. Sadly, that building was destroyed by a fire in 1895. But the Grange quickly rebuilt! The building you see today was put up in the very same year, 1895.
The Grange Store Through the Years
The first floor of the building was later changed to make room for the store. The Grange had actually been running a store since 1882, but it was in a different place at first. The store at this location became very famous. It even had a sign on the front that called it the "Last Grange Store." This special store closed its doors in 1976.
See also
