Mt. Hamilton Grange No. 469 was organized on December 17, 1931, when E. S. Waterman, State Deputy of the California State Grange, came to San Jose to install the first Mt. Hamilton Grange President, Grange Master Charles B. Hannah, plus 55 charter Mt. Hamilton Grange members.

 

Charles B. Hannah was the owner of Hannah Oil, selling "illuminating and lubricating oils." In 1915 his businesses were located at 182 East Santa Clara Street and 219 The Alameda in San Jose. Both Charles and his wife Cordellia ("Cardie") were born in Tennessee in the 1870's, residing in Santa Clara and San Jose until their death.

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Previous Mt. Hamilton Grange members sold Grange Bonds, seedlings, and held BBQ's, dances and dinners to fund a new grange hall building in the 1960's. During it's construction, that new grange hall (which is our current Dining Hall), saw grange members participating in every aspect of its construction, with grange women providing lunches, hot meals and coffee for construction workers.

 

Our grange has been a labor of love for many generations, and continues in that tradition today, in our expanded facility which now includes a ballroom, stage, and service areas.

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Since its inception, Mt. Hamilton Grange No. 469 has grown to over 260 members in the Evergreen area of San Jose. Many of our current members joined after enjoying ballroom dance lessons and events at our grange hall, which is also the site of dance competitions and recitals.

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Aside from being the year our grange was chartered, 1931 had also been a monumental year for the United States:

 

• The Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key became the official anthem of the United States of America.

• The cost of a first class postage stamp was still only $.02.

• Congress allowed California to construct the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

• Seals Stadium opened in San Francisco.

• Thomas Edison submitted his last patent application.

• The Empire State Building in New York City had just been completed.