A
Centennial Farm is a farm or ranch in the United States that has been
officially recognized by a state documenting the farm has been continuously
owned by a single family for 100 years or more. Sesquicentennial Farms (150
years) and Bicentennial Farms (200 years) are also recognized.
During
the Kentucky Bicentennial (1992) Kentucky
started a “Heritage Farm Program” that recognized historic farms and ranches.
The Kentucky legislature passed a law in 1980, revised July 15, 1982, titled
“Kentucky Register of Heritage Farms” (Ky. Rev. Stat. 171.388) stating that to qualify a farm must comprise
at least 40 acres, shall have been owned by the same family at least 100 years,
be an active farm, and contain a structure more than 50 years old. Farms are certified by the Kentucky Heritage
Council, in conjunction with the State Preservation Office. An official
certificate is issued and signed by the Governor and various officials.
Ohio County
is blessed with two Sesquicentennial
Farms and five Centennial Farms. The following information is “as of” the
year 2000 and taken from a book titled: Kentucky’s Historic Farms: 200 years Of Kentucky
Agriculture, Turner Publishing, Inc. Paducah, published 1994, 1996, and
2000. Authors were Clark
Ph.D., Thomas; Beatty, Durwood W; Jarratt, C. Ardell; Amos, Christine; Hudson,
Karen E.
OHIO COUNTY CENTENNIAL FARMS
7.
W. T. STEVENS
FARM: The
W. T. Stevens Farm, located in Beaver dam, Kentucky, is owned by Lester Stevens.
The
farm was originally purchased on October 7, 1889 by W. T. Stevens, grandfather.
Hubert Stevens, uncle, inherited the farm on June 18, 1945. On October 13, 1950
Clarence Stevens, father, inherited the farm. Vera Stevens, mother, inherited
the farm on March 8, 1952. On December
22, 1964 Lester inherited the farm.
The
original purchase included 57 acres. Of the original purchase all 57 acres are
presently retained. The farm now consists of those 57 acres with 45 acres being
actively farmed. They raise corn, beans and hay.
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