Serving for 31 years and 218 days, he was the longest-serving member in the Federal Council.

He was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on 12 December 1863 and died in office 31 years later, on 18 July 1895.

Schenk also served as President of the Swiss Red Cross from 1873–1882.

The local museum of Langnau im Emmental "Chüechlihus" includes a section on him.

Further, the house at Spitalgasse 4 in the city of Bern is named Karl-Schenk-Haus and its passage Karl-Schenk-Haus-Passage or Karl-Schenk-Passage.