Clinton, New Jersey

Clinton is a town in Hunterdon County. It is located on the South Branch of the Raritan River in the Raritan Valley region. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the town's population was 2,719,DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for Clinton town, Hunterdon County, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 14, 2012.Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2010 for Clinton town
, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed November 14, 2012. reflecting an increase of 87 (+3.3%) from the 2,632 counted in the 2000 census. Despite its relatively small population, Clinton is the predominant control city for Interstate 78 traveling westbound from Newark.

History

When the Clinton post office was established in 1829, it was named for DeWitt Clinton, Governor of New York and the primary impetus behind the then-newly completed Erie Canal.The Town of Clinton
Hunterdon County, New Jersey on April 5, 1865, within portions of Clinton, Franklin and Union Townships. Clinton gained full independence from its three parent townships in 1895.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 154. Accessed October 25, 2012.

The town is perhaps best known for its two mills which sit on opposite banks of the South Branch Raritan River. The Red Mill, with its historic village, dates back to 1810 with the development of a mill for wool processing. Across the river sits the Stone Mill, home of the Hunterdon Art Museum, located in a former gristmill that had been reconstructed in 1836 and operated continuously until 1952. In 1952, a group of local residents conceived of a plan to convert the historic building into an art museum, which is still in operation today.

On October 30, 1891, a major fire destroyed 23 buildings and 17 businesses on Main Street. This is known here as the Great Fire of 1891.

Described by ''The New York Times'' in 1988 as having "conquered the worst residential radon hotspot known in the United States" which resulted from uranium in the limestone under sections of the town, Clinton and mayor-at-the-time Robert A. Nulman received state, national, and international attention for the town's successful efforts to combat the radon using ventilation systems in affected homes. Klaidman, Steve
''Health in the Headlines: The Stories Behind the Stories''
Oxford University Press, 1991. . Accessed November 15, 2019. "Clinton's public officials were aware of the extraordinary radon levels found in the Watras house in nearby Pennsylvania."Hanley, Robert
"The Jersey Village That Fought Radon With Fans and Won"
''The New York Times'', September 15, 1988. Accessed November 15, 2019. "Mayor Nulman cringes now while recalling TV and newspaper accounts in early 1986 that predicted mass evacuations and Clinton Knolls' reduction to a ghost town."

The Clinton Historic District encompassing much of the town was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 for its significance in architecture, commerce, engineering, industry and exploration/settlement. The district includes 270 contributing buildings. With

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town had a total area of 1.44 square miles (3.72 km²), including 1.35 square miles (3.49 km²) of land and 0.09 square miles (0.24 km²) of water (6.39%).

The town borders the Hunterdon County municipalities of Clinton Township, Franklin Township and Union Township.

Clinton is considered an exurb of New York City, as Hunterdon County lies on the western fringe of the New York City Metropolitan Area, which is mainly rural with scattered housing developments and old farm homes. Clinton is part of the Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area of Middlesex, Somerset and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. It serves as a "bedroom community" for many commuters working in and around Northern New Jersey and New York City, often younger residents who have supplanted long-time residents of Clinton.

Climate

Clinton falls under the North Jersey climate zone. According to the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist at Rutgers University, the Northern climate zone covers about one-quarter of New Jersey and consists mainly of elevated highlands and valleys which are part of the Appalachian Uplands. Surrounded by land, this region can be characterized as having a continental climate with minimal influence from the Atlantic Ocean, except when the winds contain an easterly component. Prevailing winds are from the southwest in summer and from the northwest in winter. Being in the northernmost portion of the state, and with small mountains up to in elevation, the Northern Zone normally exhibits a colder temperature regime than other climate regions of the State of New Jersey. This difference is most dramatic in winter when average temperatures in the Northern Zone can be more than ten degrees Fahrenheit cooler than in the Coastal Zone. Annual snowfall averages in the northern zone as compared with an average of in the extreme south.

Clinton falls under the USDA 6b Plant Hardiness zone.

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $83,850 (with a margin of error of +/− $12,019) and the median family income was $109,375 (+/− $19,698). Males had a median income of $62,697 (+/− $9,258) versus $67,014 (+/− $13,316) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $43,354 (+/− $4,395). About 2.6% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2020 census, there were 2,632 people, 1,068 households, and 724 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,916.0 people per square mile (741.8/km²). There were 1,095 housing units at an average density of 797.1 per square mile (308.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.06% White, 1.33% African American, 0.46% Native American, 3.72% Asian, 1.37% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.10% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Clinton town, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 14, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Clinton town, Hunterdon County, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 14, 2012.

There were 1,068 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $78,121, and the median income for a family was $88,671. Males had a median income of $61,442 versus $46,397 for females. The per capita income for the town was $37,463. About 0.4% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.6% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

The Red Mill Museum Village (56 Main Street) is located on the South Branch of the Raritan River in the town center of Clinton. Built in 1810, the Red Mill originally served as a woolen mill. Over the next 100 years, the Mill was used at different times to process grains, plaster, talc and graphite. The Mill was also used to produce peach baskets, as well as to generate electricity and pump water for the town. Every October, the mill is transformed into a haunted house called the Red Mill Haunted Village. The Haunted Village tends to attract visitors from all over the east coast to the small town. The Red Mill Museum Village was featured on an episode of '' Ghost Hunters'' in 2008.

The Hunterdon Art Museum (7 Lower Center Street) presents changing exhibitions of contemporary art, craft and design in the 19th century Dunham's Mill, the Stone Mill, listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Founded in 1952, the Museum showcases works by internationally recognized and emerging contemporary artists. It also offers a dynamic schedule of over 300 art classes and workshops for children and adults, as well as a summer camp program.

File:56 Main Street, Clinton, NJ.jpg, The Red Mill
File:Dunham's Mill, Clinton, NJ.jpg, Hunterdon Art Museum in Dunham's Mill

Parks and recreation

* Landsdown Trail, a spur line constructed for the Lehigh Valley Railroad in 1881 that is now a graded rail trail starting about south of Clinton on Landsdown Road that enters Clinton town center near the lumber yard.
* Spruce Run Recreation Area (Van Syckel's Road, Clinton, NJ): , picnicking, boating, fishing and seasonal camping. Open year-round.
* Round Valley Recreation Area (Lebanon-Stanton Road, Lebanon, NJ) offers wilderness camping, beaches, trails, fishing and boating.

Government

Local government

Clinton is governed under the Town form of municipal government. The town is one of nine municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this traditional form of government. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and six-member Town Council, all of whom are chosen at-large in partisan elections held as part of the November general election. The Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. Members of the Town Council are elected to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 103. The primary responsibilities of the council are to serve as the legislative body of the town, approve the annual budget presented by the Mayor, approve payment of bills and serve as Liaisons to several Boards and Committees.

, the mayor of Clinton Town is Democrat Janice Kovach, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2023. Members of the Clinton Town Council are Nick Bruno ( R, 2024), Sherry Dineen (R, 2024), Michael Humphrey (D, 2022), Megan Johnson (D, 2023), Kyle Perloff (R, 2024) and Ross Traphagen (R, 2022).Mayor and Council
Town of Clinton. Accessed June 23, 2022. "The Clinton Town Council is composed of 6 Council members that are elected by the community. Council terms of office are three years and two Council seats are up for election each year."
Hunterdon County, New Jersey