Press Release
October 4, 2024
Contact: Shea J. Otley
State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-4485
shea.otley@history.ok.gov
www.okhistory.org/shpo
Washita County Owners Receive Centennial Ranch Award
OKLAHOMA CITY — Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Lynda Ozan announced that an Oklahoma Centennial Ranch award has been presented to the owners of a Washita County ranch.
Michael and Barbara Helm, John and Patricia Seymour, Robert Iliff Jr., and Carol Wall own Keen Ranch located in the vicinity of Canute. The family has grown wheat and alfalfa on the land since great-great-grandfather Eli B. Keen settled the land in 1904.
To qualify for a Centennial Farm or Ranch Award, a property must be occupied by a family member for at least 100 years and 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 & Ranch Awards for 35 years, in which time 100 awards have been given in Washita County.
For further information about the Centennial Farm & Ranch Program, contact Shea J. Otley at 405-522-4485 or shea.otley@history.ok.gov.
The State Historic Preservation Office is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
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