Altona Grange Hall

In 1945, a basement was dug to the North of the existing building; the hall was moved and placed over the basement. The renovation added room for kitchen and dining facilities. Horseshoe competitions, square dances and rifle practice were held at Altona Grange for several years.  Altona is one of the oldest active granges in the state.

The building on the far left was the men's outhouse - the Grange Hall bathrooms were built in the 1960's 

Granges are a remnant of a once flourishing agricultural movement called the "Patrons of Husbandry" and was established by a Minnesota farmer in 1867. Granges were started after the civil war as an attempt to educate and organize farmers in new and more efficient farming techniques, organize farmers against price fixing by the railroads and fight high interest rates on bank loans. 

A primary issue for Colorado grange members was protection of water rights for agricultural use and their concerns about the state legislature giving away the control of Colorado rivers and streams. In 1876, the State Board of Agriculture was formed with seven of its eight seats held by grange members.

Bylaws

The Altona Grange is a subordinate member of the Colorado State Grange, of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, which in turn is subordinate to the Constitution of the National Grange.

Fred Bader, Step-Brother to the first Master, William Roberts. Before the hall was built, Fred made sure that they had the funds to purchase the white oak flooring that is still in the Grange Hall today.

Fred arrived here in 1866 after his father returned home to Iowa from the Civil War. He had been a member of the Left Hand Grange, no. 9.

 Further information about the Altona Grange and the Colorado Grange movement is available through oral histories and books found at the Carnegie Branch Library, Boulder Public Library, Boulder, Colorado.