What is the history of Tenney, Minnesota?
The city of Tenney was named for the owner of its townsite, lumberman John P. Tenney. The first house was built by his nephew, Howard Tenney. The post office was established in 1887, and the city was incorporated on November 30, 1901. The city reached its peak of population in the 1910s, when about something less than 200 people resided in the city. A steady decline was driven by lack of significant population in outlying areas, migration to larger urban centers, and the absence of dynamic economic factors to generate wealth. US Census bureau data indicates that the population was 102 in 1920, 89 in 1930, 89 in 1940, 62 in 1950, 35 in 1960 and 24 in 1970. As local establishments burned down or went out of business they were not replaced, and finally the post office was discontinued in 1980 when the population was pegged at 19 by the census bureau. Today the only remaining business in town is the elevator, and the only commercial building remaining on the main drag is the former general
