Oklahoma Centennial Farm and Ranch Program

In March 1989 Governor Henry Bellmon officially announced the establishment of the Oklahoma Centennial Farm and Ranch Program during a special celebration at the Oklahoma Historical Society Building. He received the first application from H.C. Hitch, Jr., owner of the Hitch Ranch in the Oklahoma Panhandle, as a part of the ceremony. Since then, 800+ other families have joined Mr. Hitch to become part of the Oklahoma Centennial Farm and Ranch family.

Oklahoma's Centennial Farm and Ranch Program began in 1989 in part as a way to help celebrate the centennial of the Run of 1889. The families who made the runs, however, are only some of those who have farmed and ranched in Oklahoma for a century or more. Many Native American families have a much longer occupancy than 100 years.

The Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture take great pride in cosponsoring this special recognition program. The vital role that farm and ranch families have played in Oklahoma's past and will continue to play in the future is recognized through this program. The hard work and determination necessary to succeed in farming and ranching make it clear that those families who have been involved in the business for 100 years of more are certainly a special group of people. Through the Centennial Farm and Ranch Program we can extend our appreciation to rural families for their contributions to the State's heritage and to its economy.

To qualify for the program, (1) the family must have occupied the land for at least 100 years, (b) it must be a working farm or ranch of at least 40 acres, (3) it must have $1,000 in annual sales, and (4) it must be operated by or lived on by a family member, or be leased by a family member over age 65. Historic structures awards are given if four or more buildings or structures remain on the land that are at least 50 years old.