Kenna, New Mexico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kenna
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Unincorporated community
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Kenna Store, formerly Midway Service Station, listed in National Register of Historic Places
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 Kenna
Location in New Mexico
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Mexico |
| County | Roosevelt |
| Region | Llano Estacado |
| Founded | 1902 |
| Elevation | 4,462 ft (1,360 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| Zip code |
88122
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| Area code | 575 |
| GNIS feature ID | 915847 |
Kenna is a small, unincorporated community in Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States. An unincorporated community is a place that doesn't have its own local government. Instead, it's usually managed by the larger county.
Kenna is located on U.S. Route 70. It is about 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Portales.
Contents
History of Kenna
Early Days: Urton and the Railroad
The area where Kenna is located was first known as Urton. It was likely named after two brothers from Missouri who arrived there in 1884.
Later, a man named Kenna, who was a contractor, set up a camp in Urton. He was working on building the tracks for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. This camp became an important stop. It was a place where stagecoaches could drop off and pick up mail and passengers.
The Name Change and Growth
In 1899, the railroad was finished. The name "Kenna" stuck for the camp. A post office was opened in 1902, and the place was officially called Urton. However, in 1906, the name was changed back to Kenna. It's thought that E.D. Kenna, who was a vice president of the railroad, helped choose the final name.
By 1909, Kenna became a very important place for shipping cattle in New Mexico. It was one of the biggest cattle shipping points in the state.
Peak and Decline
At its busiest time, Kenna was a lively town. It had a bank, two hotels, several stores, a post office, and places to eat and socialize.
However, things started to change around 1912. Many homesteaders (people who settled on land to farm it) left their claims. This was because of a long period of dry weather, known as a drought. As a result, Kenna began to shrink and become less active.
