While most organizations celebrate their anniversaries in 25-year increments, the Grand Army of the Republic Hall in Litchfield is breaking with this tradition.
It’s recognizing the building’s dedication — Nov. 14, 1885— with a Civil War-era luncheon 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4.
“It’s the 138-year anniversary,” said Danelle Erickson, executive director of the Meeker County Museum at the G.A.R. Hall. “Every year is worth celebrating. There is only one other (G.A.R.) building standing in Minnesota. It’s in Grand Meadow by Rochester/Austin area.”
This is the second year a Civil War-era inspired meal will be served. According to Erickson, a board member suggested it. It’s a week or two earlier this year. The hope is to make it an annual event.
Saturday’s menu features a variety of foods, including pork and beans, corn bread and a type of strawberry shortcake.
“There will be hard tack,” Erickson said. “We promise no bugs. Coffee was a big thing, too.”
Guests are welcome to tour the hall, although it might be difficult with the tables set up for the luncheon. The rest of the museum will also be open.
“The Litchfield American Legion gave a donation to the museum to be used in the G.A.R. Hall,” Erickson said. “The money was used to buy folding tables, so we no longer have to beg and borrow from other sources.”
What is there to see, you might ask? The meeting room is dedicated to the Boys of ’61. It features the photographs and stories of those who served in the American Civil War. There are also a variety of artifacts to view, including two Howitzer Mountain Cannons, which arrived in 1917.
“People don’t expect a lot of Civil War history in Minnesota in general,” Erickson said. “Last week, we had a woman here a couple of days from California researching her G.A.R.-member relatives.”
HOW IT BEGAN
Although the Civil War started at 4:30 a.m. April 12, 1861, when Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina’s Charleston Harbor, it was documentary filmmaker Ken Burns who brought the story to television. His 1990 nine-part series was watched by an estimated 40 million viewers, making it the highest rated and the most celebrated documentary in public television’s history.
While Burns wrote the Civil War was fought in 10,000 places, from New Mexico and Tennessee to Vermont and Florida, it was never fought in Minnesota.
That said, 24,000 soldiers from Minnesota fought for the Union cause, and of those, 126 hailed from Meeker County.
The war ended April 9, 1865 — four years, one month and two weeks after it started. It is estimated that between 650,000 to 850,000 died. Of those, three Meeker County men were killed in battle: Reuben Wait, Wellington S. Cates and William Johnson. An additional 15 died in a hospital from disease or injuries.
According to Erickson, the Grand Army of the Republic, as a national organization, started in 1866. It was a service organization with the motto of “Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty.” Its purpose was to maintain fellowship for the men who fought to preserve the Union and to help disabled veterans and the widows and orphans of veterans.
The post formed in 1874 in Litchfield, led largely by Frank Daggett. When he died in 1876, the post essentially died with him. Then in 1883, a new post formed. Members named it in Daggett’s honor — Frank Daggett Post No. 35.
In 1885, the organization, which had grown to 140 members, opted to build their own meeting place — a memorial hall made of brick on a lot across from Central Park. It cost $5,000 and was dedicated Nov. 14, 1885.
After that, the hall was given to the village of Litchfield with the condition that it be kept “as is” as a memorial to the veterans of the Civil War and be opened to the public for reading. It became the first library in Meeker County.
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places May 21, 1975. The Meeker County Historical Society’s museum building was added to the rear of the G.A.R. Hall in 1960.
Throughout the years, the hall has remained as it was at the last meeting of the Grand Army of the Republic.
WORTH NOTING
In addition to Saturday’s celebration, the Meeker County Museum hosts the Litchfield G.A.R. Civil War Roundtable, whose purpose is to discuss all things Civil War. It meets at 1:30 p.m. the second Thursday of the month, with the next meeting Thursday, Nov. 9. The speaker is Dan Hoisington, who will talk about “Our Army Nurses: Northern Women Answer the Call.” Admission is an annual membership or $3 at the door. There is no meeting in December and the schedule will reboot beginning in January. Erickson said they are working on the speaker list for 2024.
Litchfield will also be the site of the 2024 Minnesota Civil War Symposium April 27 at the Litchfield Opera House, with the G.A.R. Hall open for tours.
