Local grange named to National Register of Historic Places

PLYMOUTH — The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources has announced that the Lower Intervale Grange #321 in Plymouth has been honored by the United States Secretary of the Interior with placement on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural integrity as well as for its association with the national Grange movement.

 Lower Intervale Grange’s design and layout have changed little since it was built in 1912. Its modest exterior details — including a gable roof and clapboards trimmed with corner boards — are often seen in New England Grange buildings.

Located on the Daniel Webster Highway south of downtown Plymouth, the building is one and a half stories from the main entrance and has a story below street level that is accessible from the back.

The building features two cornerstones, one of which is engraved with “1912” and the other with “L.I.G.” for “Lower Intervale Grange.” In an effort to lower construction debt, anyone wishing to have their name written on a piece of paper and put in one of the corner stones was able do so for 10 cents.

The Lower Intervale Grange’s interior design separates social and ritual spaces, as was required by the national Grange organization in the late - 19th and early - 20th centuries.

  Administered by the National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, the National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of historic resources worthy of preservation and is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate and protect our historic and archaeological resources. 

In New Hampshire, listing to the National Register makes applicable property owners eligible for grants such as the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program or LCHIP (lchip.org) and the Conservation License Plate Program (nh.gov/nhdhr/grants/moose).

For more information on the National Register program in New Hampshire, visit nh.gov/nhdhr or contact the Division of Historical Resources at 603-271-3583.

For more information, visit us online at nh.gov/nhdhr or by calling 603-271-3483.