Collection #

M 0043

 

 

centennial farm families
records, 1947–1950

Collection Information

Historical Sketch

Scope and Content Note

Series Contents

Cataloging Information

 

 

 

Processed by

Sister Rachel West and Paul Brockman
6 June 2002
Updated 2 April 2, 2004      

Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269

www.indianahistory.org

 

COLLECTION INFORMATION

VOLUME OF
COLLECTION:

4 manuscript boxes, 1 folder of photographs

COLLECTION
DATES:

1947–1950

PROVENANCE:

Transferred from Indiana Historical Society office, August 1975

RESTRICTIONS:

None

COPYRIGHT:

 

REPRODUCTION
RIGHTS:

Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society.

ALTERNATE
FORMATS:

 

RELATED
HOLDINGS:

 

ACCESSION
NUMBER:

1975.0809

NOTES:

 

historiCAL SKETCH

Initially called Pioneer Farms, the Centennial Farms project was started in 1947 as joint venture between the Indiana Historical Society and Purdue University to honor families whose farms had belonged to the same family for over 100 years.  By July 1947 the number of identifiable farms had amounted to almost 750, with the highest number coming from Rush and Wayne counties.  Purdue used its county agricultural agents to help identify centennial families.  At that time, the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana Historical Bureau shared offices and staff, and Shirley Snyder (later McCord) of the Historical Bureau verified the information and corresponded with the applicants regarding questions.

Recognition took the form of a certificate awarded at a special ceremony.  The certificate contained the Indiana Historical Society’s new seal which was commissioned for this event.  Other items on the award included the owner’s name, township, and county as well as the words “loyalty to the land.”  Medallions which were either plain or could be engraved with the family’s name were available for purchase.  These also contained the Society’s seal and the words “Centennial Farm Family.” They could either be displayed by hanging or on a flat surface.

The awards ceremony took place in May 1948, in conjunction with the Agricultural Conference of State Associations at Purdue.  Some 1,200 centennial family farms were recognized at the event.  Upon the project’s completion in 1951, over 1,650 families had been recognized by the Society for their contribution to the state’s history.

Sources:

Information obtained from Publications Division, Indiana Historical Society.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The bulk of the collection contains application forms and other relevant information submitted by families whose farms had been in same family for over 100 years, dating from 1947–50.  In addition to the completed application forms, there also is additional information supplied by the applicant as well as correspondence with the Indiana Historical Bureau regarding additional information and/or questions.  Also included is a list of farms and correspondence regarding ordering of medallions and certificates.  There is also one folder of photographs.

series CONTENTS

Series 1: Centennial Farm Applications

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Adams County

Box1, Folder 1

Allen County

Box 1, Folder 2

Bartholomew County

Box 1, Folder 3

Benton County

Box 1, Folder 4

Blackford County

Box 1, Folder 5

Boone County

Box 1, Folder 6

Carroll County

Box 1 Folder 7

Cass County

Box 1, Folder 8

Clark County

Box 1, Folder 9

Clay County

Box 1, Folder 10

Clinton County

Box 1, Folder 11

Crawford County

Box 1, Folder 12

Daviess County

Box 1, Folder 13

Dearborn County

Box 1, Folder 14

Decatur County

Box 1, Folder 15

Dekalb County

Box 1, Folder 16

Delaware County

Box 1, Folder 17

Dubois County

Box 1, Folder 18

Elkhart County

Box 1, Folder 19

Fayette County

Box 1, Folder 20

Floyd County

Box 1, Folder 21

Fountain County

Box 1, Folder 22

Franklin County

Box 1, Folder 23

Fulton County

Box 1, Folder 24

Gibson County

Box 1, Folder 25

Grant County

Box 1, Folder 26

Greene County

Box 1, Folder 27

Hamilton County

Box 2, Folder 1

Hancock County

Box 2, Folder 2

Harrison County

Box 2, Folder 3

Hendricks County

Box 2, Folder 4

Henry County

Box 2, Folder 5

Howard County

Box 2, Folder 6

Huntington County

Box 2, Folder 7

Jackson County

Box 2, Folder 8

Jasper County

Box 2, Folder 9

Jay County

Box 2, Folder 10

Jefferson County

Box 2, Folder 11

Jennings County

Box 2, Folder 12

Johnson County

Box 2, Folder 13

Knox County

Box 2, Folder 14

Kosciusko County

Box 2, Folder 15

LaGrange County

Box 2, Folder 16

Lake County

Box 2, Folder 17

LaPorte County

Box 2, Folder 18

Lawrence County

Box 2, Folder 19

Madison County

Box 2, Folder 20

Marion County

Box 2, Folder 21

Marshall County

Box 2, Folder 22

Martin County

Box 2, Folder 23

Miami County

Box 2, Folder 24

Monroe County

Box 3, Folder 1

Montgomery County

Box 3, Folder 2

Morgan County

Box 3, Folder 3

Noble County

Box 3, Folder 4

Orange County

Box 3, Folder 5

Owen County

Box 3, Folder 6

Parke County

Box 3, Folder 7

Perry County

Box 3, Folder 8

Pike County

Box 3, Folder 9

Porter County

Box 3, Folder 10

Posey County

Box 3, Folder 11

Pulaski County

Box 3, Folder 12

Putnam County

Box 3, Folder 13

Randolph County

Box 3, Folder 14

Ripley County

Box 3, Folder 15

Rush County

Box 3, Folder 16

Scott County

Box 3, Folder 17

Shelby County

Box 3, Folder 18

Spencer County

Box 3, Folder 19

Steuben County

Box 3, Folder 20

St. Joseph County

Box 3, Folder 21

Sullivan County

Box 3, Folder 22

Switzerland County

Box 3, Folder 23

Tippecanoe County

Box 3, Folder 24

Tipton County

Box 3, Folder 25

Union County

Box 3, Folder 26

Vanderburgh County

Box 3, Folder 27

Vermillion County

Box 3, Folder 28

Vigo County

Box 3, Folder 29

Wabash County

Box 3, Folder 30

Warren County

Box 3, Folder 31

Warrick County

Box 3, Folder 32

Washington County

Box 3, Folder 33

Wayne County

Box 4, Folder 1

Wells County

Box 4, Folder 2

White County

Box 4, Folder 3

Whitley County

Box 4, Folder 4

 

Series 2: Medallion and Certificates Correspondence

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Lists:  All Counties (1 of 2)

Box 4, Folder 5

Lists:  All Counties (2 of 2)

Box 4, Folder 6

Correspondence:  Medallions, Certificates

Box 4, Folder 7

Correspondence:  Medallion Orders (1 of 3)

Box 4, Folder 8

Correspondence:  Medallion Orders (2 of 3)

Box 4, Folder 9

Correspondence:  Medallion Orders (3 of 3)

Box 4, Folder 10

Correspondence:  Request for Forms

Box 4, Folder 11

Correspondence:  Individuals

Box 4, Folder 12

Series 3: Photographs

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Harrester Farms; DeKalb County

Visual Collections: Photographs, Folder 1

CATALOGING INFORMATION

For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:

1.      Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog:  http://157.91.92.2/

2.      Click on the "Basic Search" icon.

3.      Select  "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.

4.      Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, M 0043).

5.      When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.