Pancake flippers had their work cut out for them, as they turned over the breakfast staple on a hot griddle countless times for a momentous occasion.

The Chimacum Grange took the morning of Sept. 16 to throw a pancake feed in celebration of its centennial, welcoming members, visitors and other out-of-town tourists to get their fill. Grange supporters turned out in droves, utilizing overflow parking from the Tri-Area Community Center, across Highway 19.

“2018 has been an exciting last year for Chimacum Grange No. 681,” Advisory Board member Katy McCoy said during her remarks to breakfast diners. “Maybe that's what happens when you live to be 100, but lots of love is being thrown her way these days. A revitalization is afoot! The Grange is an invaluable treasure to our community, and it's important we help steward her into her next century.”

She spoke of six months ago, when a group of interested people met in an advisory capacity to the Grange Officers. One of the aspects they have been working on was to maximize the rental experience by sprucing up the space, simplifying competitive rates and creating a user-friendly website. They also hired Tia Taylor as a Grange Coordinator to help accomplish this goal.

Though the Grange was established spring of 1918, the building itself was built in 1932 in just 15 days. The 86-year-old building is not without its wear and tear, but there are plans to make it ready for another century. McCoy gave recognition to the Jefferson County Association of Realtors, the Jefferson County Home Builders Association, Carl's Building Supply and Coker Designs for their volunteer work last year to maintain, paint and repair the grange building.

A total of 16 new tables were acquired for the grange facilities, McCoy said, pointing toward the new curtains courtesy of Richard Tucker.

“He values the Granges as a performance hall, as do we,” McCoy said.

In 2006, the Grange briefly closed due to low membership, but acted as a catalyst to rally new enthusiasm. At this time, the Chimacum Farmers Market was founded, along with a monthly speaker program for educating and gathering the community since then.

Presumably a granger and farmer with time to spare, O.C. Musgrove of Grays Harbor is credited as the founder of Chimacum Grange No. 681, as well as Quilcene Grange No. 1109 and the Uncus Grange No. 682, in March of the same year.

Diane Johnson, president of the Grange, said the reason she helped revitalize the grange in 2006 was to promote local Jefferson County farmers, rather than providing barriers to their success.

“I am excited and renewed by the energy and enthusiasm of our newly formed Advisory Committee and numerous community individuals and organizations who have contributed their money and labor in our recent building and performance space upgrade,” she said.

Johnson remembered when she was in sixth grade physical education class, she and her classmates would use the grange to learn square dancing.

“The Chimacum Grange supported the agricultural community in the first half of the 20th century through its association with 'the Co-Op,' then located where the Wooden Boat School is now,” Johnson said. “I remember going there with my mother as a child to buy baby chicks and chicken feed. The Co-op became Cenex when it was eventually privatized.”

The Grange operates on the national, state and local levels, under the The National Grange, a secular, non-partisan, fraternal organization founded in 1867. At the state level, the Washington State Grange Association has been the largest and most progressive in the country. It established the first railroad commission and the first workman's compensation law, introduced a bill that limited women's workday to eight hours, and started the Washington Women's Suffrage, 10 years before the nation, among its several accomplishments.

“I appreciate the role the Grange has had at all governmental levels to champion the needs, rights and advancement of farms through a truly grassroots, democratic process,” Johnson said. “Resolutions for legislation and policy always begin at the lowest county level, then are advanced through state Granges to the national level.”

Closing out her remarks, McCoy encouraged any who were interested to get involved, whether by renting a space, becoming a member, attending monthly meetings or becoming an officer.