Grange Museum

The Grange Building, circa 1922, houses the exhibits of Essex County Granges and the Topsfield Fair Farm Museum. The building itself is a well preserved example of post & beam construction.

The Grange, a fraternal organization founded in 1867, has been a participant in the Topsfield Fair since the turn of the twentieth century. An annual independently judged competition is held among participating Granges whose displays must adhere to published guidelines. Statewide Junior Grange contest displays are also exhibited.

The Farm Museum displays artifacts, photos and a brief history from area farms. Most nights the committee provides entertainment on its small indoor stage. A permanent, functioning Model Train Exhibit brings delight to fairgoers of all ages.

New this year in the Grange Building will be programs for our school attendees during the weekday mornings, Monday through Friday. Programs will be presented by Historic New England and will include sheep shearing and the making of fleece, use of historic tools, butter making, and colonial trades which will include bartering and the inter-relationship between trades.

Historic New England is the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive regional heritage organization in the nation. It was founded in 1910 to preserve and present the cultural and architectural heritage of New England, from historic properties to humble necessities, from art and artifacts to gardens and furniture.