Carlyle-Blakey Farm
Also known as: Marion Carlyle Farm; Ernest Blakely Farm
Why it's listed
Located about three miles northwest of Winder, this Barrow County farm covers roughly 129 acres of pasture, fields, woods, two ponds and a creek. Its present look comes from a single day, May 12, 1948, when the badly eroded, worn-out farm of Marion Carlyle and his nephew Ernest Blakey hosted a Master Conservation Field Day. About 700 men operated more than 200 pieces of machinery to terrace fields, fill gullies, build ponds, fence pastures and erect a metal equipment barn. Sponsors included the Oconee River Soil Conservation District, The Atlanta Journal and Winder civic clubs, and an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 spectators attended. Afterward the farm yielded more with fewer workers and shifted from cotton toward dairy production. Fence lines, pond locations, water channels and terraces from 1948 remain visible today. The farm is recognized for its agricultural and conservation importance as a designed landscape. Only the 1948 metal barn counts as a contributing building.
Significance in brief: The farm is argued to be a rare, intact example of an agricultural conservation project demonstrating erosion control, crop diversification and modern farming methods of the mid-20th century. The 1948 Master Conservation Field Day, with about 700 men and over 200 machines, turned eroded land into a productive farm and drew widespread publicity. Fence lines, ponds, water channels and terracing from that day are still visible.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 08000353, listed April 29, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 568 GA 211 NW., Winder |
|---|---|
| County | Barrow County |
| Listed | April 29, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000353 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1948 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Conservation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used for cattle grazing and hay, with fields in ground cover; one contributing metal equipment barn from 1948, with other buildings noncontributing. |
| Acreage | 129 |
| Coordinates | 34.01125, -83.76085 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 08000353.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85750705
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.