Kiona is a term belonging to North American indigenous people meaning "brown hills.

"[2] Kiona and Benton City share a school district (commonly called "Ki-Be").

In 1888, the Northern Pacific Railroad built a new station in the western part of Benton County at present-day Kiona.

This allowed farmers to easily bring their produce to market (the main crops were corn, wheat, alfalfa, potatoes, and fruit, especially apples), which encouraged further settlement in the area.

Beginning in 1917, the Yellowstone Trail, a national highway from Massachusetts to Seattle, was routed through Kiona.