Built in 1869 this vernacular, Italianate style residence served as the first headquarters of the "Order of the Patrons of Husbandry," better known as The Grange. [1]
Kelley was the founder of the National Grange, a movement which sought political solutions to the problems of the farmer. This house served as headquarters to 1870. In 1866 Kelley, a Department of Agriculture employee, was asked by President Andrew Jackson to survey the agricultural conditions of the devastated south. As a result of this experience, the idea of a national farmers organization was conceived. He returned to Minnesota in 1868 and proceeded to organize the National Grange. He served as National Secretary of the Grange until 1878.
The Kelley Homestead was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. The property had been previously designated a National Historic Landmark, 1964.
Street Names
Kelley Farm Road • US Highway 10