Oakryn Hall

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Our Story

RED K**B FARM PROVIDES NEW LIFE TO FULTON GRANGE HALL The Fulton Grange Hall has been a central part of the rural southern end community life for generations, and now the Young family is giving it a second life as the Oakryn Hall. When they heard the Fulton Grange might be sold and no longer available to the community, the Young family decided to make an attempt to protect this local landmark which sits next to Red K**b Farm, their family farm. The local grange members also supported the idea that it would continue in its present use. When Red K**b Farm received final approval from the Pennsylvania State Grange Association, they chartered a new private organization, Oakryn Hall LLC. The sale was finalized on June 25th. The building was returned to its original name, Oakryn Hall, in honor of the community it serves. While no longer officially appearing on maps, entering “Oakryn, PA” into an online map will drop a pin onto the historic crossroad village of Oakryn – the intersection of route 272 and Balance Meeting Rd. “Like others in the area, we have memories of many family events in this building. We just did not want to see this special gathering place no longer be available to our community,” observed Jean Young. The Oakryn Hall building itself has a history dating back more than a century. Formerly a Presbyterian chapel in Rowlandsville, Maryland, the structure was dismantled for lumber and stored by the Balderson family in Colora, Maryland until 1907. At that time it was purchased by the Oakryn Band and erected on its present site on route 272 between Wakefield and Little Britain. The band had conceived the idea of building a hall for community meetings as well as a place for the band to practice. The first large public meeting to be held in it was the Fulton High School Commencement, Class of 1908. When the band later folded, the building was sold to the Little Britain school board who used the building for basketball games and graduations for Fulton and Little Britain high schools. Several years later, the property was put up for public sale and purchased by S.R. Dial, who operated it as an antique shop until his death. The building was then sold in 1951 to the Fulton Grange, the local chapter of the national organization founded shortly after the Civil War to improve the economic and social lives of farmers and rural communities. It was a family gathering place packed for turkey suppers, dinner theaters, ice cream socials and square dances. There have also been a number of churches that held services in the building. As the population shifted away from agriculture, grange membership dwindled and the Fulton chapter became one of 10 Grange Halls in the state of Pennsylvania slated to be sold. This created an uncertain future for this historic community building. If you drive by today, you will see that the former Fulton Grange is being prepared to serve a new generation of the community again as Oakryn Hall. Inside, changes have started with new tables and chairs to cleaning and other repairs. When all renovations are complete the building will have a new heating system and even be air conditioned for the first time in its history! The entrance and bathrooms remain wheelchair accessible. Already, the community is returning to Oakryn Hall. The country line dancing group, Southern Sidekicks, that has met there for decades has placed their reservations along with other locals planning family reunions and other events. Even the local Grange #66 association will continue to meet in the building they formerly owned. “This building has a rich history in our rural community and we are pleased to continue to make it available to the public. We hope to see Oakryn Hall be used by more people than it ever has. The support of the community will be what allows us to keep it open for the next generation,” stated Matt Young. To inquire about availability or to make reservations, members of the community are invited to call 717-799-5968 or go to the Oakryn Hall page at www.OakrynHall.org.