Kenton, unincorporated community in Cimarron County, Oklahoma, United States
Kenton is a small unincorporated community in the far northwest corner of Cimarron County in the Oklahoma Panhandle. The town sits in a valley near the Cimarron River and is surrounded by open land, flat-topped mesas, and rolling hills, with Black Mesa standing as the highest point in Oklahoma nearby.
Kenton was originally called Carrizo and opened its post office in 1886 before being renamed in 1891 after a postmaster from Kentucky. The town served as the temporary seat of Cimarron County from 1907 to 1908 but lost this role to Boise City, after which the population and economy steadily declined.
The name Kenton comes from a postmaster from Kentucky who renamed the town in 1891. The few residents here maintain a deep connection to ranching traditions and the land's history, which stretches back to nomadic tribes who hunted across these plains.
Kenton is reached via State Highway 325 from Boise City and lies roughly 25 km south of the Colorado and New Mexico state borders. Weather can swing sharply, with hot summers above 90°F and cold winters with snowfall, so visitors should bring appropriate clothing depending on the season.
Kenton is the only town in Oklahoma that officially uses Mountain Time, even though this differs from the state's usual time zone system. The area also holds fossilized dinosaur footprints in sandstone along Carrizo Creek, where visitors can still see these prehistoric tracks today.
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