In 1912, the residents of Thurston built the Thurston Community Hall across from the general store on Thurston Road. It was one of the first buildings in Oregon to be constructed with curved laminated beams that form an arched ceiling and roof. The building was designed by Morris Brown, who had seen a tabernacle with an arched ceiling in Salem. The Community Hall served as the social center for Thurston and was used for classes, dances, theater, basketball games and public meetings. In 1936, the building became a grange hall; it is still used for public functions today (Jones 1958:34). – Source: Springfield Historic Context Statement, 1999.