Kenton, TN

Kenton was named after Simon Kenton, a notable frontiersman, Indian fighter, and surveyor, who was a contemporary and friend of Daniel Boone. He surveyed the town site, leading to its naming in his honor. Kenton is situated in both Obion and Gibson counties in Tennessee. Kenton is renowned for its population of white squirrels and celebrates this unique feature with an annual White Squirrel Festival during the week of the Fourth of July.

The city of Kenton’s City Hall is centrally located on Highway 45 West. A police department with five full-time and three part-time policemen and a volunteer fire department serves the city. Kenton Utilities serves the community with water and sewer. The city also has a top-notch street department.

The new Kenton School opened its doors in the fall of 2002. The new 20,000 square foot facility offers large classrooms, a state of the art cafeteria, library, a large common/meeting area, administrative area, and a deluxe playground center.

Kenton is very unique as it is the home of the largest concentration of white squirrels in the nation. No one knows for sure where the white squirrels came from. The legend is that a traveling band of gypsies stopped outside of Kenton and asked a farmer to stay on his land for the night. The farmer welcomed the band. As a way of payment for the farmer's generosity, the gypsies gave the farmer a matched pair of white squirrels. After the band had left, the farmer released the squirrels in the towering pecan trees on his property. The squirrels multiplied and spread over the town. The city adopted the furry creatures and enacted laws to protect them. Those laws remain on the books to this day. Many local residents feed and care for the squirrels. The new white squirrel sanctuary has many feeders and breeding boxes among the 50 species of trees. The new park is home to two covered pavilions, a gazebo, a one-mile scenic walking trail, a softball field, a gymnasium, and bathroom facilities. The best time to view the squirrels is during the early morning or late afternoon hours since the squirrels take refuge in the tree tops during the heat of the day.

The people of Kenton are a close-knit community, and show their pride for the community with the White Squirrel Festival featuring a parade, street dance, and fireworks display each July 4th.

The largest employer is the Green Plains Grain Company. First State Bank operates in Kenton and other retail businesses such as C.W. Sanderson, an appliance and furniture store that has long operated on East College Street. Other major businesses are Kenton Chevrolet, Food-Rite, Kenton Drug and Gray Clinic. Scott's Dairy on North Poplar is a favorite place to meet or breakfast, lunch or dinner. Kenton welcomes newcomers. the City Hall is located at 108 North Poplar and is open Monday through Saturday.