Hartsaw Cove, the late Millard Oakely’s family farm, is recognized by the Tennessee Historical Society as a Pioneer Century Farm, which means it’s older than the state itself. One of only a few in Tennessee, the property is located near Livingston within 20 miles of Cookeville. It was originally given as a land grant to an ancestor of the Oakley family in 1792 for his service in the Revolutionary War – 4 years before statehood was realized. The farm, at one time, had the second largest herd of cattle in Tennessee.

In December 2014, three tracts on the farm totaling 1,502 acres, were all placed under one conservation easement with Foothills Land Conservancy. The land is in an area rich with nature, history, and recreational parks including Standing Stone State Park, Roaring River Park, the Roaring River Recreational Area, and the Obey River Park and Recreation Area. The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and the Catoosa Wildlife Management Area are within 20 miles away.

Amidst all this recreation, this property is still maintained as a working farm, as it has been for over 200 years. The Oakleys donated it to Tennessee Tech University, where it is managed today as the Oakley Sustainable Agricultural Center (OSAC) – an experiential learning center for students that offers opportunities for agricultural experiments in agriculture, biology, history, and other fields of study. Students now work with the cattle and in hydroponic greenhouses to study plant growth and genetics.  It is one of the largest laboratories of its kind for conducting research on livestock, water quality, soils, and crop production.

The magnitude of this gift to an academic institution cannot be understated. It reflects the highest generosity, and embodiment of what it means to preserve land that will continue to inspire and educate students across generations and decades.

Millard Oakley’s legacy:

Millard Oakley served four terms in the Tennessee General Assembly, one term at the Constitutional Convention and is a former member of the Tennessee Board of Regents. From 1971-1973 he served as general counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Small Business. From 1975-1979 he served as commissioner of insurance and commerce for the state of Tennessee. He is the namesake of Tennessee Tech University’s Millard Oakely STEM Center, which has reached more th 10,000 students, educators and visitors through its hands-on program in science, technology, engineering and mathematics since opening in 2010.