The "City of the Dead" is a three acre tract in the southwestern part of town, a site donated to the township by Andrew Holm.  Rev. J. Lincoln Jones, a former minister of the Congregational church at Carrington, surveyed and prepared the cemetery plan.  It is controlled by an organization formed for the purpose, known as the Kensal Cemetery association, whose board of trustees is elected annually by the residents of the township. The present trustees are J. S. Tufford, Albert J. Thompson and Edward McKinnon.

Tom Dooly who died as a result of being run over by his drag on what is known as the Greenen farm, was the first one to be buried there. Mrs. Tom North who died March 25, 1899, was the first person to depart this life within the village of Kensal. The cemetery was enclosed with a suitable fence the latter part of 1909.

Before any physician had settled in Kensal Dr. A. W. McDonald of Courtenay and Dr. W. W. Wanner of Wimbledon responded to calls for their services. To Dr. F. L. Kitchen is credited the honor of being the first resident physician of the town. He opened an office and drug store in what is now the town hall, but which was then located on the site of the present up-to-date drug store presided over by O. E. Holmes, assisted by the genial Clarence Isaacson. In the spring of 1902 Dr. E. M. West became Kensal's physician and was followed in about a week by Dr. E. E. Martin.  Dr. West retired in the fall and Dr. Martin remained a short while longer, leaving however soon after the coming of Dr. W. E. Longstreth who, with Dr. A. R. Curtis, the latter coming in August, 1906, assure the people of Kensal efficient professional skill second to none in the state.

Whatever the reason for violating the sentiment so long a precious heritage of the bride, that of being wooed, won and wed within the sacred precincts of her own home, whether it be the facility of securing the marriage license or the avoidance of the usual pranks played upon Cupids captives by their friends, the compensating results are scarcely adequate. The securing of a license so as to be married in the home town is not an onerous burden. Fred Paulson who was promptly arrested and jailed as a suspicious character when he returned with his bride, though the "authorities," appraised by a wire from Valley City, were required to apprehend him as he stealthily tried to effect his escape from the south side of the train, and George C. Jewett who gave reluctant exhibition of bare back riding on a donkey through the principal parts of town, and R. W. Miller who half concluded the blanket was made of rubber, while he presented satisfactory evidence to his friends that he was capable of a high jump, a broad jump and a jump at their pleasure, will testify that they do not thus escape the interest of their friends in their new venture. The weddings which have actually taken place within the corporate limits of the village scarcely average one in two years. The unique honor of being the first bride to be married in Kensal falls to Miss Gertrude Benson whose marriage to Hans Stinson occurred December 2, 1897. by the Rev. Charles E. White in the C. J. Croonquist home when Mr.  Oroonquist lived in rooms over his present store building.

Kcnsals first introduction to a telephone was that of a private line connecting the First National bank, Allen G. Randall's house, now the Glassner home, L. D. Thayer's home, where Anton Frederickson now lives, and W. G. Tubbs' rooms, over what is now Rollef Berg's furniture store. Later the Citizens Lumber Co. and Anderson's harness shop were added. At a later date C. W. McDonnell built a line from the Soo station to his claim two miles from town, connecting also with the restaurant which was in the building that afterwards became the Central hotel, and Hugh Smitn's livery barn. Another private line was that which connected the Osborne-McMillan elevator of which J. O. Johnson was manager, with his home, now the Chase residence. A fourth private line connected H. A. Stinson & Company's store with the J. M. Watson home, now the Greenen place. In 1903 J. 0. Johnson and H. A.  Stinson formed a co-partnership under the name of the Kensal Telephone Company and established the Kensal exchange the same year. The next year the lines were extended to McHenry and the McHenry exchange established. L. C. Lane purchased the entire outfit from the above parties, taking possession March 1, 1906. In the spring of 1907 the McHenry exchange and rural lines tributary, and one-half of the toll line were sold to a company formed at McHenry and a new 200 line capacity Kellogg switchboard was installed at Kensal. The fire in the fall of 1907 proved a serious handicap, and while not apparent, the loss was in excess of $2,000.  In 1908 a long stride forward was made by the construction of two rural lines aggregating 40 miles of poles and line, and the installation of the famous lockout phones which gives its patrons central energy, private line service, a service not surpassed by any exchange whether large or small. The service has been extended to 110 phones and 65 miles of poles, and it is a notable fact that it is the smallest exchange in the state giving all day and night service.

Beside the town mill, which was erected by Postmaster Thompson in 1895, and which has an annual capacity of 500 tons, the town boasts of 2 banks, 7 elevators. 1 feed mill, 2 lumber yards, 3 general stores, 2 hardware stores, 1 hotel, 1 restaurant, 1 drug store, 1 jeweler, 1 blacksmith shop, 1 butcher shop, 1 harness establishment, 1 furniture store, 2 weekly papers, 1 telephone system, 3 livery barns, 2 draying outfits, 1 pool room, beside 1 lawyer, 2 doctors and 2 resident ministers.

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