Mary Starr remembers the Bethlehem Grange in its prime.
Bethlehem Grange No. 137 had its own band made up of local members. The organization also held parties, square dances and sponsored trips Downstate. Sometimes multiple generations of a family would join.
“I remember it being a lot of fun,” said Starr, who has been a member since she was 18. “I think I joined because my boyfriend at the time was joining.”
Starr is now 84 years old and is the oldest active member of the Bethlehem Grange. When she joined in 1949 there were about 230 members who attended meetings. Over time, membership in the organization has declined, and the building has fallen into disrepair.
“It’s not like it use to be,” said Starr. “Now we get 18 to 20 people at a meeting, out of the 66 members we have on the books. It’s kind of sad in a way. We’re just hoping we can keep it going.”
This year, the Bethlehem Grange celebrated its 140th anniversary. The organization was founded on March 7, 1874, with about 30 members. The original group met in Albany until it was decided the city was too far for the rural residents to travel.
The following year, a local resident gifted the organization with an old, former hotel to conduct its meetings in Selkirk. For several years, local residents gifted pieces of adjacent land to expand the property, but in 1920 a fire destroyed the building. Meetings were held at the First Reformed Church of Bethlehem for the following year, while the new building in the hamlet of Beckers Corners was constructed. The same building is used today, although it was expanded in 1936.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, known to most simply as The Grange, started just after the Civil War as a fraternal organization. Those who joined Granges were typically from rural communities. The original objective was to join the North and South together to cooperate in bringing farming practices up to date. The organization stressed the importance of family and promoting “the economic and political well-being of the community and agriculture.”
Starr said the organization was originally very secretive of its meetings and practices, and acted as a sort of lobbying group. Eventually, the focus turned more toward improving the local community and family activities, but nationally, it continues to champion the causes of farmers.
“It used to all be farmers, but anyone can join,” said Starr. “I think of our members now, only one is a farmer.”
According to The National Grange, membership has dropped by 40 percent in the last 15 years. Many local organizations have disbanded. There are now only three Granges in Albany County left out of the previous nine, with Bethlehem being the largest.
Bethlehem Grange officials are now trying to entice more members and are beginning a fundraising initiative to revitalize their community center.
Carol Carpenter, who became master of the Bethlehem Grange in the last year, said the project is a long time coming. The group recently decided to disconnect the building’s telephone because they could no longer afford the bill. The roof also leaks at times, and the building needs a new paint job.
“A lot of our money has diminished as our older members die off,” said Carpenter. “We also had a situation a few years ago where a member stole from us, so we’re still trying to recover from that.”
The group has ramped up the number of activities it has hosted in the last year in order to raise more money and attract new members.
“My family joined because we had started going to the dinners,” said Carpenter, who lives in Albany. “We eventually made friends, and they convinced us to become members.”
Anyone from Albany County can join, including children ages 4 and up. The Bethlehem Grange No. 115 – Junior and Youth was organized in 1929 and is still active. The group goes on trips, participates in local demonstrations and classes, and each year helps with setup of the Altamont Fair.
“It’s a family organization that stresses family ideals,” said Starr. “That’s what I like about it. Anyone can join and participate.”
Carpenter said even though membership is low, the Bethlehem Grange continues to be a leader within the organization. The hope is for the location to remain active for the next generation.
“It’s a tradition we would like to continue,” said Carpenter.
The next Bethlehem Grange event is a pulled-pork dinner on Saturday, Oct. 4 ,with all of the proceeds benefitting the Grange. Dinner will be served from 4 to 7 p.m. with apple crisp for dessert. The cost is $10 per person. Eat-in or take-out is available at 24 Bridge St. in Selkirk.