Century-old Katy ranch owned by generations of women honored with Land Heritage Award

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Friday, March 22, 2024
Katy ranch passed down to generations of women
During a time when women's rights were severely restricted, Maggie Mansell secured her own land, setting a precedent for the generations of women who followed her.

KATY, Texas -- The Beckendorff-Sword family was awarded the Family Land Heritage Award by the Texas Department of Agriculture. The award honors families who have owned and run a continuous agricultural operation for more than a century.

"We call it the Beckendorff-Sword home place. It's been the home to my family for over one hundred years," Owner Kay Beckendorff-Sword said.

Her great-grandmother, Maggie Mansell, purchased 320 acres of land in 1922. It has since been passed down from woman to woman in the same family.

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