From the Collections: Iowa Century Farms

New this year is the Iowa Farmstead digital collection. Consisting of 20 photogravures and lithographs from various 19th century publications, the collection shows what some of Iowa’s farms may have looked like over 150 years ago. At least some of the farms included in this collection were granted Century Farm status. Century Farms are those farms that have been owned by the same family for 100 years or more. The first certificates were awarded in 1976 as part of the Bicentennial Celebration. As of 2017, there are 19,368 Century Farms.

A Page from A.T. Andereas’ Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa depicting the
residence of T.H. Dunkin, Union Township, Monroe County, Iowa.
(MS 390, 0390_IowaFarmsteadPictureCollection_0001-011-001)

The Dunkin farm, depicted above, was granted Century Farm status in 1976.

An image depicting the Stock Farm of Mrs. H. Fullinwider, Section 11, Huron Township, Des
Moines County, Iowa and the Residence of Joash Hedges, Section 14, Huron Township, Des
Moines County, Iowa. (MS 390, 0390_IowaFarmsteadPictureCollection_0001-001-001)

The Joash Hedges farm is now known as the Frank C. Hedges Farm. It was also granted Century Farm status in 1976. In his Century Farm application, Mr. Hedges noted that the farm was acquired by the Hedges family in 1844, thirty-six years before the lithograph.

You can view the digital collection in it’s entirety. If you’d like more information, please see the Finding Aid for the Iowa Farmstead Picture Collection (MS 390).