43 Thornton Road
In 1827, deep divisions over theology and policy led to a split in the Concord Friends Meeting. The faction known as the Hicksite remained in the 1728 building, and those who called themselves Orthodox moved out. The two groups continued to share the plot of land, and in 1837 the Orthodox Friends built a new meeting house a few hundred feet from the original one. In time, the two factions resolved their differences and the Orthodox returned to meet in the old meeting house.
In 1920, Concord Grange #1141, part of a large national farmers‚ movement, arranged to rent the Orthodox Meetinghouse, eventually purchasing it in 1945. A local grange served many functions for the farming families who belonged. It was a cooperative purchasing agent for feed, seed and supplies, and often was a retail agent for its members. It provided social, entertainment, and cultural events, and was often the sponsor of Scout troops and 4-H Clubs.
The last Grange meeting was held in the summer of 1978, and a year and a half later, Concord Township purchased the building. Today it serves as the Concord Township Senior Center.
It is listed as Historic Resource #116.
