Clinton is a city in
Henry County,
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, United States. The population was 8,792 at the
2020 census. It is the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
of Henry County.
History
Clinton was laid out in 1836. The city was named for
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
Governor
DeWitt Clinton, a key promoter of the
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, vastly redu ...
. A post office called Clinton has been in operation since 1850. The railroad reached Clinton in 1870, when the Census put the population at 840.
Clinton was incorporated as the least-populous type of city in Missouri, a fourth-class city, in 1878. All but one voter voted in favor of incorporation. Resident
Banton G. Boone
Banton Gallitin Boone (October 23, 1838 - February 11, 1900) was a Democratic Party politician and lawyer from Missouri. He was Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives from 1875 to 1877, and Missouri Attorney General from 1885 to 1889. ...
, a Democrat, was Speaker of the
Missouri House of Representatives
The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 37,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections ...
, 1875-1877, and
Missouri Attorney General, 1885-1889.
Piped water, electricity, and macadam roads were brought in during the 1880s, and a telephone system in the 1890s.
In 1905, Clinton and the rest of Henry County held two separate votes on
prohibition
Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...
of alcohol. Clinton's vote was against prohibition, while the rest of the county voted in favor, creating two separate legal regimes. In 1909, another such local option vote in Clinton gave the same result, against prohibition.
The town square, the focal point of the
Clinton Square Historic District
Clinton Square Historic District is a national historic district located at Clinton, Henry County, Missouri. The district encompasses 62 contributing buildings, 1 contributing structure, and 1 contributing object in the central business distr ...
, has been the site of various disasters. In 1876, a fire burned down a number of buildings on the square. The cause is believed to have been arson. On June 26, 2006, a building there collapsed while an
Elks Lodge meeting was taking place, leading to the death of the Lodge's leader, Tony Komer. Nine people were pulled from the rubble, while the rest left on their own power. In the Olde Glory Days parade, which occurred less than one week after the accident, Komer was memorialized and Elk's Lodge members from many parts of Western Missouri marched to show their support for the Clinton Lodge.
In addition to the Historic District overall, the
Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association Building,
William F. and Julia Crome House
The William F. and Julia Crome House is a historic house located at 305 South Second Street in Clinton, Henry County, Missouri.
Description and history
It was built in 1904, and is two-story, American Foursquare style brick dwelling with Col ...
,
Judge Jerubial Gideon Dorman House
Judge Jerubial Gideon Dorman House, also known as the Dorman House, is a historic home located at Clinton, Henry County, Missouri. It was built in 1852, and is two-story, central passage plan, brick I-house with Greek Revival and Gothic Reviv ...
,
Gustave C. Haysler House
Gustave C. Haysler House is a historic home located at Clinton, Henry County, Missouri. It was built about 1896, and is two-story, Queen Anne style frame dwelling. It features steep hipped roofs, front porch with classical columns, and a cylin ...
, and
C.C. Williams House
C. C. Williams House, also known as the Biddlecomb House and Cummings Apartment House, is a historic home located at Clinton, Henry County, Missouri. It was built about 1867, and is two-story, T-shaped, Italianate style frame dwelling. It sits ...
are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...
.
Geography
Clinton is located at (38.370067, -93.771689).
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy
An economy is an area of th ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
The downtown square serves as a center for community commerce and public affairs. It features a central courthouse and numerous shops, stores, and eating facilities. More than one dozen churches are found in the community, a few of which antedate 1900. Several important state highways intersect at Clinton, including Routes
13 &
7, making Clinton a popular stop on the Springfield-Kansas City Route. and a cluster of "big-box" stores, as well as several "national-chain" motels, are located in that area. Smaller motels are found on the outskirts of town on all sides. The several residential neighborhoods range from directly adjacent to the town square to lying a mile or more away. In terms of wealth, the neighborhoods go from solidly lower income, to middle-class ranch-house areas to a small, affluent borough, where larger lawns and brick-and-Tudor homes predominate.
Climate
Demographics
2010 census
At the
2010 census there were 9,008 people, 3,935 households, and 2,371 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 4,454 housing units at an average density of . The
racial makup of the city was 95.1% White, 1.9% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0%.
Of the 3,935 households 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.7% were non-families. 34.5% of households were one person and 16.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.82.
The median age was 40.6 years. 22.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.4% were from 25 to 44; 25.1% were from 45 to 64; and 20.5% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.9% male and 53.1% female.
2000 census
At the
2000 census there were 9,311 people, 3,978 households, and 2,502 families living in the city. The population density was 1,007.6 people per square mile (389.1/km). There were 4,342 housing units at an average density of 469.9 per square mile (181.4/km). The
racial makup of the city was 95.49% White, 1.77% African American, 0.92% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.03%.
Of the 3,978 households 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 33.1% of households were one person and 16.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.84.
The age distribution was 23.4% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males.
The median household income was $28,079 and the median family income was $32,378. Males had a median income of $26,834 versus $19,096 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,282. About 11.9% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 21.0% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Clinton School District operates five schools, including Clinton Sr. High School.
Clinton has a
public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants.
There are ...
, a branch of the Henry County Library.
Arts and culture
On September 12, 2007, the
Tour of Missouri bicycle race began stage 2 from Clinton.
The initial take off began from the historic downtown square, and ended in
Springfield.
Clinton lies at the western terminus of the
Katy Trail, a 225-mile long state park used by cyclists, runners and horseback riders. The
rail trail is built on the path of the old
Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, which was abandoned between Clinton and
Sedalia in 1989. The former Katy railroad from Clinton south to
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
is still operated by the
Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad (Genesee & Wyoming). The city is also situated near
Truman Lake, which is widely known for its excellent boating, fishing, camping, and other related activities. Clinton is also home to two of the area's 18-hole golf courses. On December 27, 2021, Clinton's AM radio station announced they will cease broadcasting effective December 31, 2021 after losing their tower site. (KDKD-AM)
Notable people
*
Virgil Hill, Olympic boxing silver medalist, member of
International Boxing Hall of Fame
*
Uel W. Lamkin, Henry County schools superintendent and president of
Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri State University is a public university in Maryville, Missouri. It has an enrollment of about 8,505 students. Founded in 1905 as a teachers college, its campus is based on the design for Forest Park at the 1904 St. Louis World ...
*
Steve Luebber, MLB pitcher and
Minor League baseball pitching coach
*
Nick Petree,
Minor League baseball player
*
Delbert Lee Scott, politician, college president
*
David Steward,
World Wide Technology founder, chairman
References
External links
Official website* Historic maps of Clinton in th
Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collectionat the
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus University of Missouri System. MU was founded ...
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Cities in Henry County, Missouri
County seats in Missouri
Cities in Missouri