Kensington is a small city in southwestern Douglas County, Minnesota. The chief routes through the city is Minnesota Highway 55 and County Road 1, which intersect in Kensington. Along Highway 55, Hoffman is northwest of the city, while Farwell is southeast. Other nearby communities include Holmes City and Lowry. Fergus Falls is about forty-five miles northwest. The community was formed in 1886, when land was purchased for the construction of a railroad through the area. The land that Kensington was built on was owned by Peter and Anna Greta Johnson, who had bought it from Nils Ristburg, an early homesteader. In 1886, Johnson sold a strip of land running diagonally through his farm to the Minneapolis and Pacific Railroad to be used for the track and, a few months later, he sold another portion of the farm to the Pacific Land Company, who had the area platted for businesses and residential house lots. Incorporated as a village in October of 1891, the town was named for Kensington Gardens in England. In 1898, Olof Ohman, a Swedish immigrant, claimed to have discovered a 202-pound stone covered in runes dating to the 14th century, thought to have been a record left behind by Scandinavian explorers in the 1362, but many scholars have classified it as a hoax. The Kensington Runestone is in a museum in nearby Alexandria, Minnesota. The town has had some years of population decline since the 1950s, but its population has been in the 200s and 300s consistently since 1900.
Recommended Resources
Established in 1887, the Douglas County city is known for the Kensington Runestone, believed to have originated in 1362 by Norse explorers. The official municipal web site introduces the city council, city services, a council agenda and minutes, and offers a history of the city and a guide to local recreation areas, churches, schools, and businesses.
http://www.kensingtonmn.com/
Kensington Area Heritage Society
Formed for the purpose of collecting, preserving, and disseminating information relating to the history and culture of Kensington, Minnesota, KAHS sponsors or participates in programs consistent with its mission. Its membership categories, policies, and meeting schedules are posted, along with a history of the community.
http://www.kahsoc.org/
Incorporated as the Bank of Kensington in 1898, the Kensington, Minnesota bank now includes the former Bank of Cokato, the First National Bank of Herman, and the St. Cloud Loan Production Office, and serves the communities of Kensington, Cokato, and Herman. Its locations, lobby and drive-through hours are put forth, along with its products and services.
https://www.kensingtonbanks.com/
Discovered by a Minnesota farmer, this carved stone has been branded a hoax by many while, by others, including the author of this site, it is proof of Norse visits to the Kensington area of Minnesota as early as the 1300s. A history of the discovery, the discoverer, the issues surrounding the stone, and conclusions are given here.
http://www.kensingtonrunestone.us/
A topic of discussion and controversy since it was discovered by a Swedish farmer in 1898, the experts are divided on whether the stone was a remarkable find or a well-done hoax. Arguing in favor of the validity of the runestone, this article gives the history of its discovery and discusses the geoglyphology of it.
http://www.thekensingtonrunestone.com/
Based in Kensington, Minnesota, the company serves Douglas, Grant, Pope, and Stevens counties, as well as the Lakes Area, offering tree trimming, tree topping and removal services, as well as stump grinding and removal, land and lot clearing, and related services, which are outlined here.
http://tiptoptreeservicemn.com/
