125th Anniversary of Kenilworth’s Incorporation

Today, February 4th, 2021 marks the 125th anniversary of Kenilworth’s incorporation, also known as the quasquicentennial.

In order for Kenilworth to incorporate as a village, the state required a population of at least 300. In the Fall of 1895 the population was at 298, there was much anticipation as two families were expecting to give birth by the end of the year to bring the population to the required 300. In December of that year, John D Haslam was born, making him the 299th resident, followed shortly by Manierre B. Ware, the 300th resident of Kenilworth and son of Francis and Charles Ware. 

Papers were promptly sent away and on February 4th, 1896 Kenilworth was officially incorporated as a village with James A. Culbertson as the first village president. At the time of its incorporating, Kenilworth only consisted of about 223 acres east of the railroad tracks. Kenilworth west of the tracks was annexed later throughout the 1920s.

The train station, Kenilworth Union Church’s chapel, as well as a handful of houses remain seemingly untouched from that time, 125 years ago.