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In 1812, a Quaker Meetinghouse was
built in Center Sandwich. On November 14, 1863, this building burned as
a protest against Quaker pacifism during the Civil War.
The current Grange Hall was built to
replace the Meetinghouse that burned. It was moved from the southern end of the
village to its present location and purchased by the newly formed Mount
Israel Grange No. 158 in 1892. Until 1906, the Hall had no second floor.
It was voted to have such a floor installed to enable meetings to be
held on the upper floor and provide space for a kitchen and dining area
downstairs. Money was raised and the project carried out. It also
included a means of heating both floors. In October 1911, plans were
drawn up to build the horse sheds that used to stand at the rear of the
Hall. Willis Smith drew up the plans and the men did the building.
The ladies, not to be outdone, held several socials to earn money for
tables and chairs to furnish the dining area.
By the early 1990's, with an elderly and shrinking membership, the Grange
was no longer able to maintain the hall. In July of 1994, by request and
vote of the members of the Mount Israel Grange #158, the Sandwich
Historical Society took ownership of the building and land for the sum
of $10. In turn, the society agreed to maintain the building and let the
Grange members continue their regular meetings as long as the Grange
existed.
Information
from the Sandwich Historical Society Excursion Bulletin # 66,
available for purchase from the Society.
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The
Grange Curtain
"The largest-known painting attributed to
Quimby hangs in the Mt. Israel Grange in his home town. On the second
floor, in the meeting room, is a stage almost the width of the hall.
At the front of that stage, a full-size canvas curtain hangs on which
Quimby painted a sweeping, backlit view of Mt. Israel from above the
Bearcamp bridge on the Mt. Israel Road. In the middle ground is
the Daniel Atwood House (now Papen) and in the foreground is a solitary
woman by the bridge, gazing at the view. Allegedly, the figure
Quimby painted was that of his childhood sweetheart, Belle Forbush, but
this story is not documented. Quimby took great pains to paint an ornate
gold frame on the curtain around the landscape, creating the image of a
monumental framed oil painting hanging above the meeting room. Quimby
also painted a plaque on the bottom of the frame, with bold letters
identifying ‘Mt. Israel Grange.’ Quimby probably painted the stage
curtain sometime after 1892."
From the
Seventieth Annual Excursion, an article entitled “Fred George Quimby
(1963-1923)” by Suzita C. Myers; page 10 |
