MINNEHAHA GRANGE NO. 398 (EDINA, MINN.):

Minnesota farmer Oliver Hudson Kelley and six associates established the National Grange (Order of the Patrons of Husbandry) in Washington, D.C., in 1867. It was conceived as a social and educational organization for farmers, but some of its most visible accomplishments have been in economic cooperation and politics.

The Minnesota State Grange was organized at St. Paul in 1869. Oliver Hudson Kelley Pomona No. 4, which included Minnehaha and several other subordinate grange organizations, was organized in April 1932.

Minnehaha Grange No. 398 was organized in December 1873, with James A. Bull as the first master. A grange hall was constructed, and was first used for a meeting on February 27, 1880. As Edina became urbanized there were fewer farmers and more city residents among the membership, and members' activities leaned increasingly toward social and cultural activities. Minnehaha Grange last appears in the 1991 Minnesota grange directory.

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There are membership lists, some financial records, photographs, news clippings, newsletters, convention programs, state fair ribbons, and other materials, as well as some records of the affiliated Minnehaha Juvenile Grange No. 2. There is information about the National Grange (Washington, D.C.) and co-founder Oliver H. Kelley, the activities of the national and Minnesota grange organizations, Oliver Hudson Kelley Pomona Grange No. 4 (a district organization), and the history and preservation of both the Kelley farmstead near Elk River (Minn.) and the Minnehaha Grange Hall in Edina. Correspondents represented in the collection include officers of Minnehaha Grange No. 398 and of the Minnesota State Grange. There are printed materials from both the state and national grange organizations.

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These records are organized into the following four sections:

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Minnehaha Grange No. 398 (Edina, Minn.) Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples

Accession Information:

Accession number: 4080; 4597; 5037; 10,753; 11,782; 14,688

Processing Information:

Processed by: David B. Peterson, December 1993

Catalog ID number: 990017303040104294

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Subject files include correspondence and related papers, some financial records, membership applications, a few photographs, and certificates and awards. There are also records of Minnehaha Juvenile Grange No. 2, an affiliated organization for the young people of Minnehaha Grange No. 398.

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There are 38 scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings, snapshot photographs, newsletters, convention programs, membership rosters, anniversary booklets, greeting cards, funeral folders, state fair ribbons, and other material. The scrapbooks contain information on many topics, including National Grange co-founder Oliver Hudson Kelley and the restoration of his farmstead near Elk River, Minnesota, as well as efforts to preserve and restore the Grange Hall in Edina.

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Records of the Minnesota State Grange, which contain additional information about Minnehaha Grange No. 398 and Minnehaha Juvenile Grange No. 2, are also in the Minnesota Historical Society manuscript collections.

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Agriculture -- Minnesota.

Clubs -- Minnesota -- Edina.

Cooperative societies -- Minnesota.

Farmers -- Minnesota -- Political activity.

Farmers -- Minnesota -- Social life and customs.

Friendly societies -- Minnesota.

Historic buildings -- Minnesota -- Edina.

Historic farms -- Minnesota -- Elk River.

Historic preservation -- Minnesota.

Persons:

Archer, Frank A. (Frank Adelbert), 1890-1966.

Archer, Hildur S. (Hildur Swenson), 1888-1966.

Horr, Hazel K.

Kelley, Oliver H. (Oliver Hudson), 1826-1913.

Pearson, William B., 1897-1987.

Organizations:

Minnehaha Grange Hall (Edina, Minn.).

Minnehaha Juvenile Grange No. 2 (Edina, Minn.).

Minnesota State Grange.

National Grange.

Oliver Hudson Kelley Pomona Grange No. 4 (Sherburne County, Minn.).

Places:

Oliver H. Kelley Farm (Elk River, Minn.).

Document Types:

Membership lists.

Photographs.

Programs.

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