Kenna, New Mexico

Kenna is a small unincorporated village in Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States. It is located on U.S. Route 70, 30 miles southwest of Portales. The settlement was originally known as Urton, probably named for two brothers who came to the region from the state of Missouri in 1884. A contractor by the name of Kenna camped in Urton during the construction of a roadbed for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Kenna's camp served as a stopping place for stagecoachs to exchange mail as well as passengers.

In 1899, when the railroad was completed, the name Kenna remained for the camp. Established first as Urton in 1902 by the opening of a post office, the name was changed back to Kenna in 1906. E. D. Kenna, the vice president of the railroad, may have contributed to the final choice of a name.

Kenna was one of the largest cattle shipping points in the state by 1909. At the peak of its development, the town could boast a bank, two hotels, several stores, a post office, as well as several saloons. By 1912, many homesteaders relinquished their claims due to the drought, and Kenna dropped both in size and importance.

External links

* [http://www.stinkfight.com/2007/10/20/my-rattlesnake-land/ article about land scams in Kenna in the 1950s]
* [http://www.hitsofacid.com/KennaPix/ photos of Kenna]
* [http://www.newmexicohistory.org/filedetails_docs.php?fileID=21168 article about the history of Kenna on the State Historian’s web site]
* [http://www.drivetheost.com/railroadmtnroad.html Kenna's Railroad Mountain Road]