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- Granger centennial this Saturday
Granger centennial this Saturday
- By Rosemary Dellinger
- Published 10/13/2009
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By Rosemary Dellinger
Granger residents will celebrate their town’s centennial on Saturday, Oct. 17. Among those attending the 100th birthday celebration will be the Ruth Granger Zelenek, granddaughter of Granger’s founder Walter Granger.
In information from the Granger historical book, “Granger: The Town, The Land, The People,” Walter Granger was invited to come to the area by Thomas F. Oat, president of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Granger was born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y. He had left a lucrative job in the east coast due to ill health and came west to Montana where he worked selling wholesale groceries from railcars while build small irrigation systems.
“It all began with an idea, water and Walter Granger,” the book states.
After arriving in arid land of Eastern Washington in the spring of 1889, Granger began laying out the Sunnyside canal along with platting the town site that was to become his namesake.
Granger married Maud Thomas in 1891 and the couple had seven children. Walter Granger continued his mission to create the Sunnyside canal, which was completed in 1858.
The town of Granger was officially incorporated on Sept. 20, 1909. The town census in 1910 was listed at 500 people. Granger’s first mayor was C.W. Metzer and the town’s first clerk was Fred Hahn.
One hundred years later, the town had grown to 3,065. Ramona Fonseca is Granger’s current mayor. She was elected in 2008.
Longtime Granger resident Helen Dodd has spearheaded the centennial event.
“It is all coming together,” Dodd said about the final plans for Saturday. “We are looking forward to a grand celebration.”
Up to 125 people are expected for Saturday afternoon’s centennial dinner. Prior to the dinner, Dodd said a large display of photos and historical memorabilia will be on display at the Scout cabin in downtown Granger. Committee members have gathered historical city records, newspaper articles and a large collection of photographs from city archives. Historical display boards will be at the Scout cabin. Additional photos and information will be available during the dinner.
Local musician Lenny LaLumiere will be performing from 3 to 5 p.m.
A historical quilt depicting the town’s first 100 years will be raffled during the dinner at the Granger Community Building on Sunnyside Ave.
Granger residents will celebrate their town’s centennial on Saturday, Oct. 17. Among those attending the 100th birthday celebration will be the Ruth Granger Zelenek, granddaughter of Granger’s founder Walter Granger.
In information from the Granger historical book, “Granger: The Town, The Land, The People,” Walter Granger was invited to come to the area by Thomas F. Oat, president of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Granger was born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y. He had left a lucrative job in the east coast due to ill health and came west to Montana where he worked selling wholesale groceries from railcars while build small irrigation systems.
“It all began with an idea, water and Walter Granger,” the book states.
After arriving in arid land of Eastern Washington in the spring of 1889, Granger began laying out the Sunnyside canal along with platting the town site that was to become his namesake.
Granger married Maud Thomas in 1891 and the couple had seven children. Walter Granger continued his mission to create the Sunnyside canal, which was completed in 1858.
The town of Granger was officially incorporated on Sept. 20, 1909. The town census in 1910 was listed at 500 people. Granger’s first mayor was C.W. Metzer and the town’s first clerk was Fred Hahn.
One hundred years later, the town had grown to 3,065. Ramona Fonseca is Granger’s current mayor. She was elected in 2008.
Longtime Granger resident Helen Dodd has spearheaded the centennial event.
“It is all coming together,” Dodd said about the final plans for Saturday. “We are looking forward to a grand celebration.”
Up to 125 people are expected for Saturday afternoon’s centennial dinner. Prior to the dinner, Dodd said a large display of photos and historical memorabilia will be on display at the Scout cabin in downtown Granger. Committee members have gathered historical city records, newspaper articles and a large collection of photographs from city archives. Historical display boards will be at the Scout cabin. Additional photos and information will be available during the dinner.
Local musician Lenny LaLumiere will be performing from 3 to 5 p.m.
A historical quilt depicting the town’s first 100 years will be raffled during the dinner at the Granger Community Building on Sunnyside Ave.