The blocks of Detroit and Main Streets north of downtown Kenton are largely a residential neighborhood, although institutional structures (especially churches) can also be found in the district.

In this neighborhood the city's wealthier residents lived, including prosperous businessmen and owners of small industries.

Besides its elaborate homes,[2] which were designed in various late Victorian styles of architecture,[1] the district includes Kenton's oldest school and hospital, its armory, the Masonic temple, the former Hardin County Jail, and six churches.

[6] The area qualified as a historic district because of its architecture and because of the place that it had played in local history, both because of the importance of its early residents and because of the significant role of its institutional buildings.

[2] Within its 64 acres (26 ha) of land can be found 164 buildings, almost none of which are new or significantly altered; 158 of them qualified as contributing properties when the district was declared.