Kenaston, Saskatchewan

J. Powells Farm, Kenaston, SK (1907)

Grain elevators

The settlement was first known as Bonnington Springs in the District of Assiniboia in the Northwest Territories but usually referred to as "Bonnington". In late 1905, when Saskatchewan became a province, the name was changed to "Kenaston", honouring F.E. Kenaston, who was the Vice President of the Saskatchewan Valley Land Company.[7][8] The railroad reached Bonnington in late 1889, but there is no record of any permanent residents until 1902. In that year the Saskatchewan Valley Land Company was formed made up of wealthy men from the United States.[9] The president was Colonel Andrew Duncan Davidson[10] and F. E. Kenaston was vice-president.

The Saskatchewan Valley Land Company purchased 839,000 acres (3,400 km²) of land from the railway for $1.53 an acre and another 250,000 acres (1,000 km²) from the Dominion Government for $1.00 an acre. By adopting spectacular methods of advertising and employing dozens of land agents, the wide open spaces between Regina and Saskatoon were peopled with hundreds of settlers in the time between 1902 and 1910.

Needs of settlers created a necessity for business places and the settlement grew. Kenaston incorporated as a village on July 18, 1910.[11] The Kenaston School opened its doors to its first fourteen pupils in August 1905, while the town was still officially known as Bonnington. The first store was built in 1903, the post office and hotel were established in 1904, the first telephone installed in 1909, and the first of Kenaston's grain elevator was built in 1906 by the Canadian Elevator Company. In 1910, the 40,000 gallon water tower was built by CNR in proximity to the train station and just across from the first hotel.

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Village of Kenaston recorded a population of 282 living in 126 of its 131 total private dwellings, a -1.1% change from its 2011 population of 285. With a land area of 1.17 km² (0.45 sq mi), it had a population density of 241.0/km² (624.3/sq mi) in 2016.[14]

In the 2011 Census of Population, the Village of Kenaston recorded a population of 285, a 10% change from its 2006 population of 259. With a land area of 1.17 km² (0.45 sq mi), it had a population density of 243.6/km² (630.9/sq mi) in 2011.[15]

• Slovak and Scandinavian ethnic bloc settlements were near Kenaston.
• Croatian immigrants settled in this area around Kenaston. Croatian family backgrounds are set out in this article Kenaston, Saskatchewan’s Croatian Pioneers[16]

Kenaston hosts a sporting facility named Kenaston Place which brings to the village the event Super Draft. Kenaston Snowman Park is near the historic water tower restoration. Kenaston's large roadside attraction is a Snowman which is 18 Feet (5.5 Metres) in height and honours the nickname of Kenaston being the Blizzard capital of Saskatchewan. Bonnington Springs is the name of the campground at Kenaston. Kenaston Recreation Site is a conservation area near Kenaston at 17-29-2-W3.[17][18][19]

• Bill Hobel was a World War II veteran and Kenaston general store owner.[20]
• Allan Kerpan is a politician born in Kenaston.
• Logan McVeigh is an ice hockey player.
• Mike Prpich is a professional ice hockey player. He is currently playing 3rd line center for the Blizzards Senior Hockey team.
• Lynne Yelich is the Member of Parliament representing the federal riding of Blackstrap. She was raised in Kenaston and continues to call Kenaston home.[21]
• A large number of Creelmans in Saskatchewan and indeed western Canada can trace their ancestry to William Alexander Creelman of Stewiacke, Nova Scotia, who settled in Kenaston at the turn of the 19th century.

• The Davidson Leader is a newspaper which serves Kenaston.
• A piece from Chilly Gonzales' Solo Piano II is named "Kenaston".
• The book Kith 'n kin outlines the history of Kenaston and district.

Kenaston is part of the Sun West School Division. It's also Home to the Distance Learning Center which provides education to the province through online studies.

• List of communities in Saskatchewan
• List of villages in Saskatchewan

• Official website