Driving down Hwy 297, about six miles off of Hwy 60 West, there is a large metal sign on the left that says The Perry Place, Established 1875. A certified Kentucky Historic Farm. I've seen this many times and wondered the history behind it. There had to be some good history to have a sign like this placed on one's property. I found out the land was owned by Robert Perry Chipps and his sister, Martha Chipps Evans. I called Mr. Chipps and was able to learn the story behind the sign.
In 1992, it was Kentucky's Bicentennial year. During the celebration of Kentucky's Bicentennial (1992), the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Heritage Council, realizing over the years, how Kentucky had enjoyed a rich heritage of family farms and they wanted to recognize the importance of and the significant role played by farms which had been in production for a 100 years or more.
They came up with the idea to organize The Historic Farms Program – Kentucky's Bicentennial 1992. The farms to be recognized would be,
* Bicentennial Farm: Owned by the same family for 200 years.
* Sesquicentennial Farm: Owned by the same family for 150 years.
* Centennial Farm: Owned by the same family for 100 years.
* Heritage Farm: Farm with non-continuance family ownership and with 100-year old farmhouse and/or outbuildings.
Farm owners wanting to apply to be recognized had to fill out a Historic Farms Certificate Application which included: Farm site had to have a minimum size of ten acres; Had to have a minimum income of $1,000 a year; Had to have documentation to show original purchase by family members, such as the deed or will. Also other documents to show the farms ownership and purpose over the years.
The documentation for the application for the Perry Farm goes like this: The Perry Farm located about 6 miles off of Hwy 60 West on S. R. 297, was originally purchased on June 5, 1875 by John B. Perry. Maternal great-grandfather of Robert Perry Chipps, then by his maternal grandfather, Dr. John R. Perry who purchased the farm February 18, 1919, his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Beulah Franklin Perry, purchased the farm February 23, 1924. Next Mr. Chipps mother, Mildred Nunn Perry Chipps, inherited the farm by will November 21, 1971, next Robert Perry Chipps and his sister, Mildred Chipps Evans who are present 1/2 owners of the farm, inherited the farm by will May 26, 1988. The original purchase included 400 acres. The farm still retains 117 acres of the original purchase and these acres are actively farmed in crops each year.
After being awarded the proud standing of being a Kentucky Centennial Historic Farm, Mr. Chipps designed the impressive aluminum marker and had Todd Riley to build it, Billy Joe Crider doing the lettering. Also placed on the marker is the Kentucky Historic Farm medallion. Henry and Henry Monuments set the large marker.
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