Gibson County farm joins ranks of state's Century Farms program

McDougald, Allen Farm recognized for agricultural contributions

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — An historic Gibson Countyfamily farm is now part of the Tennessee Century Farms Program, administered by the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU, and is being recognized for keeping continuously owned family land in agricultural production for at least the last 100 years.

The McDougald, Allen Farm, a 38-acre property located east of Trenton, Tenn., was established in 1912 by Farris and Myrtie McDougald. After Farris’s death 12 years later, Myrtie continued as owner of the farm, raising two daughters and producing cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat, cattle and hogs. The property also contained a meat-packing plant.

Myrtie’s daughter Mary Evelyn McDougald Allenacquired the property in 1977 and continued to grow crops and raise livestock, then passed the farm down to her only child, Nancy Carole Allen Walker. Today Nancy and her daughter Lisa Bobangoown and manage the McDougald, Allen Farm together, producing cotton, corn, soybeans and winter wheat.

Since 1985, the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee's agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farms Program. 

For more information about the program, visit http://www.tncenturyfarms.org or contact the Center for Historic Preservation at 615-898-2947 or P.O. Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, TN 37132.