Originally called Benguet Road,[1] it was later renamed in honor of its builder, Col. Lyman Walter Vere Kennon of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

As the American colonial government wanted to make Baguio a summer retreat to solidify Manila’s position, they decided to build a sturdy and reliable road to go there.

It was considered one of the most difficult and expensive civil engineering projects of its day, with expenditures by the newly established Insular Government of the Philippine Islands over US$2.7 million.

[7] The Americans were inimical and irked, as evident in their stance that it was the "Christian Feast Holidays" celebrated by the Filipinos that caused the delays in the completion of the road.

[11] The highway was proposed to be replaced by a road traversing through the town of Itogon on the way to the lowlands of San Manuel, but was met with criticism from the inhabitants of Baguio.

[12] The road is currently being repaired and maintained by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with usage limited only to light vehicles and only to residents living around the area.

[13] The rehabilitation and improvement of Kennon Road is currently being considered to be put under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme with the DPWH starting consultations with an international firm for a pre-feasibility study regarding the project.

[16] The DPWH-CAR Director Khadaffy Tanggol announced that the P264 million rock shed construction along Camp 6, Tuba, Benguet is 64.37 percent complete.