What began as a cotton farm in the Center Point community near Temple eventually changed its focus to cattle over time, but the family working the farm hasn’t changed in more than 100 years.

That fact was recognized recently when the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources recognized the Levans family farm with a Centennial Family Farm Award as part of its Centennial Farm Program.

The 101 acres from the original Levans family farm on Levans Road off of Center Point Road is now farmed by Johnny Levans, a sixth generation member of the family, and Matthew Bell, a seventh generation family member. Jerry Levans, a fifth generation Levans, also still lives on the farm’s property, and several other relatives live on adjacent property that has been purchased over the years.

Donald Levans, a fifth generation member of the family and president of the Carroll County Genealogical Society, has done much of the genealogical research for the farm. Through his findings, it was discovered that in the late 1800s an uncle, Wesley Dominick, purchased all of the land in land lot No. 80 in the 6th district, a total of 202.5 acres. This property became the hub of the activity for the Center Point farming community that included a cotton gin, corn mill, school and store.

Over the years, Dominick deeded pieces of the property to others, including the Center Point Methodist Episcopal Church. Dominick also owned 41 other land lots lying between the Haralson County line to the intersection of Center Point Road with Highway 113 near Carrollton, 622 acres of which he sold to 21 different people between 1900 and his death in 1914.

Wesley Dominick never married and following his death and extending up until 1922, 751 acres of his property was sold. The north half of lot No 80, 101.25 acres, was deeded to his granddaughter, Ophelia Dewery Morgan, who gave it to her son-in-law, Zack Levans, following her daughter, Rhuey’s, death in 1927.

The farm began as a cotton farm, but when the boll weevil wiped out the industry they changed to raising more agricultural crops before switching to milk cows. They started with two cows and now have about 90 cows on the farm, though they now raise beef cattle. Through the purchase of bulls and artificial insemination, most of the cows on the farm now are direct descendents of the original two milk cows.

“It’s a history not unlike many old farms in this county,” Don Levans said. “We couldn’t afford to live off the farm after the boll weevil, so my mother and daddy worked at Sewell’s and Hubbard’s to get money to pay for fertilizer to row crop. Finally, somebody came in with the idea of this cattle stuff and it all started with these two old milk cows.”

Recognition in the Centennial Farm Program is given to farm owners through one of three distinguished awards. The Centennial Heritage Farm Award honors farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Centennial Farm Award does not require continual family ownership, but farms must be at least 100 years old or more and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Centennial Family Farm Award recognizes farms owned by members of the same family for 100 years or more that are not listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Only one farm received the Centennial Heritage Farm Award this year and eight were awarded the Centennial Family Farm Award, the Levans farm being the only one from Carroll County.

Since starting in 1993, the Georgia Centennial Farm Program has recognized 359 farms around the state. In addition to the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the program is also administered by the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation, Georgia Department of Agriculture, Georgia Forestry Commission, and Georgia National Fair and Agricenter.