EVERY SMALL TOWN I’ve ever visited, and I’ve been to a lot, has unique, identifying qualities that make it memorable. In Ellendale, it’s the old-fashioned grocery store and meat market. In Montgomery, it’s the veterans’ photos displayed downtown, the bakery, the arts and heritage center, the murals and vintage signage. And in Kenyon, it’s the roses growing along the boulevard, the signs, the thrift shops and more.
There’s so much to see in these rural communities, if only we stop, exit our vehicles and walk. We miss a lot when we simply wheel by. I encourage you, next time you drive into an Ellendale, a Montgomery, a Kenyon, to explore. On foot.
I did that recently in Kenyon, starting at Kenyon Meats, working my way through the several-block downtown business district. I moved at a slow pace, zooming in on details. Like handwritten notes posted in windows, business signs, community notices. Those show the nuances of place. I chatted with a barber and a restaurateur.
Kenyon, with a population of just under 2,000, impresses me with its variety of businesses. Meat market, barbershops, floral and gift shop, jewelry store, two thrift shops, grocery store, repair shops/garages, insurance agencies, hardware store, municipal liquor store, restaurants, newspaper office, vet clinic, sign shop, bus service and more. Even a food truck parked on the corner of busy Minnesota State Highway 60. And that’s mostly in the core downtown area.
This week, Kenyon, like so many small towns, hosts a community celebration that is all about bringing people together. Rose Fest runs August 14-18 with a parade, car and truck show, vendor and craft market, city-wide garage sales, a regatta at the pool, BINGO, fire department water fights, tractor pull, magic show, music, food, food and more food… A true community celebration in every sense of a small town summer event that requires a great deal of planning and enthusiastic volunteers.
At the heart of everything are the people—those who grew up here or moved from elsewhere to settle into this place—who call Kenyon home. Theirs is a community worthy of our pause. Stop. Walk. Smell the roses. Appreciate all that this small town offers. Just like so many other rural Minnesota communities.
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NOTE: Watch for more posts from Kenyon as I have many more photos showcasing this southern Minnesota community.
© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
of course I love little towns like this. There’s a lot of texture in places like this and you captured it with your camera.
I like your phrase of “a lot of texture.”
this little town is a treasure, full of life, interconnected in so many ways, and I feel that people would feel happy and safe living here. it seems to be a place where there is everything you need and more. and the boulevard of roses, what a wonderful detail. I’m sure the restaurant you saw and the festival would both be great.
Beth, thank you for appreciating Kenyon.
I always enjoy when you highlight small towns.
I know of Kenyon’s thrift stores and the roses along the boulevard…but have not been there when they were in full bloom.
The roses are lovely. Just have to be careful when you smell them with traffic whizzing past.
I love how you note the daily happenings in a small town – like the paper signs, the barbershop, and laundromat. It is fun that so many small towns have their own unique festivals and celebrations. 😊
This is what I love about small towns. The nuances, the details.
OMW – love the bacon sign – ha! Love the small town feel/vibe. We still have a few hamlets here within the bigger cities to escape to for that small town feel/old Florida vibe. Happy Day – ENJOY 🙂
The meat market has another catchy sign, too, which I likely will share at some point. I’m glad you have those small towns nearby to explore.
Thankful to see it thriving, thanks! Made me a bit homesick…
The Kenyon community seems to be doing well.