William Henry Kennington barn and old cabin on Afton place

William Henry Kennington moved his families to Star Valley in about 1885. He took up land at the mouth of a small canyon on the east of the Upper Valley. His history is well documented. He raised a large family and instilled a solid value system in the children. Their descendants are spread far and wide.

When one of his sons died suddenly, he buried the boy at the southeast corner of the homestead; the land became the Afton Cemetery - and Graveyard Canyon took its name. The National Guard Armory sits on the northeast portion. Homes occupy the potato patch on the east, and the old barnyard. The old fairgrounds and now the hospital and nursing home are on the south west corner.

If William Henry hadn't donated the cemetery ground, the whole land usage in that area might have been different, perhaps industrial instead of residential. Luckily we can still have a good idea of what the Kenningtons saw 100 years ago as they settled the valley.