Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Lynda Ozan announced that an Oklahoma Centennial Farm Award and an Oklahoma Centennial Ranch Award have been presented to the owners of two Washita County properties.
Norma Nutley of Elk City owns the Charley Nutley Farm located in the vicinity of Elk City. The family has raised cattle since grandfather Charley Nutley settled the land in 1898.
Roy C. Sawatzky and Roy P. Sawatzky of Bessie own the Roy C. Sawatzky Ranch located in the vicinity of Clinton. The family has grown bluestem grass since grandfather C. J. Schmidt settled the land in 1920.
To qualify for a Centennial Farm or Ranch Award, a property must be occupied by a family member for at least 100 years and must currently be operated or occupied by a family member or leased out by a family member. The property must include a minimum of 40 acres and gross annual sales of at least $1,000. The Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry have sponsored the Centennial Farm and Ranch Awards for 31 years, in which time 89 awards have been given in Washita County.
For further information about the Centennial Farm and Ranch Program, please contact Shea J. Otley at 405-522-4485 or sjotley@okhistory.org.