LeRoy Community Grange No. 1873 Records (Boone County)

The LeRoy Community Grange organized in 1933.  The grange experienced a few problems when at the October 10, 1947 meeting the members voted to suspend the charter until a future date.  At the next meeting on November 13, 1947, the voted was declared illegal because all members were not notified before the vote and the grange continued with new officers.  On March 24, 1950, the members voted to purchase the Stone School for $550 and the stove for $87.50.  The building was paid off in 1954.  A note burning party and dedication ceremony was held on June 4 of that year.  Several additions and improvements were made to the building over the years.  On April 13, 1958, the 25th anniversary program was held along with the dedication of the juvenile grange room.                   The Grange sponsored numerous events, discussed current topics, and presented programs during their meetings.  The members were involved in social activities such as card parties, ice cream socials, and dances.  They contributed to charitable causes such as the March of Dimes and the Sharon and Capron Rescue Squads and helped the community by picking crops and sawing wood for injured or ill farmers and helping at a work day for the 1967 Belvidere tornado victims.  The grange also was active on the Boone County Fair Board and participated in the tearing down, renovation and building of the buildings, planting trees, and constructing new roads.     As with most Granges, the members of the LeRoy Community Grange were concerned with legislative issues.  The members wrote letters to their state senators, representatives and the State Highway Department about the poor condition of some of the roads in the township.  They also wrote letters against the bills requiring daylight savings time, prohibiting vehicles from operating on highways at certain times, and requiring eggs to be graded.  The demise of the family farm, the farm strike of 1978 and the grain embargo of 1980, the tremendous success of the Illinois Agriculture Trade mission to the Peoples Republic of China in quest of finding markets for farm products, and the new Illinois law eliminating sales tax on farm machinery were discussed during the meetings.    Ever present were the concerns for the lose of  wildlife to the building of new highways and homes.  It was suggested by the Grange members that selected sites in natural state should be maintained for the preservation of both plant and wildlife which could be accessible only by hike and bikeways.  They also discussed the implementation of impact fees on new houses being built in Boone County.  Today the LeRoy Community Grange is actively serving the needs of the Boone County community.

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