Overview of the Village

Introduction

You can find what you need in Clinton. As one resident so aptly put it, "Clinton has a lot going for a town of its size."

 A community of just under 2000 located in southeastern Rock County and four miles north of the stateline, Clinton has a number of amenities. It boasts a strong school system, financially strong downtown business district, a large number of local jobs, an extensive industrial park, well-planned residential areas, excellent village facilities, pleasant parks, two long term care facilities for the elderly, and perhaps most important - friendly, helpful residents with a deep sense of commitment to the community.

 Clinton has a remarkable business district for a small community. There are a number of important "staples", such as two hardware stores, a drug/variety store, two restaurants, two banks, two grocery stores, a newspaper, a medical clinic, two dental offices, a veterinary clinic, a furniture store, a clothing store, an auto dealership, and an auto parts store. These stores and services have traditionally been the hub of a trade area of nearly 10,000 people in southeastern Rock County, western Walworth County and northern Boone County, Illinois.

 In addition, Clinton has an interesting variety of specialty retail stores including two antique malls, a jewelry store and art gallery, and a bridal shop. These businesses draw from a larger area than many traditional small town businesses, thus expanding the customer base for the whole community.

 Nearly ten businesses expanded their quarters in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Also, since 1987, over ten new businesses started in Clinton or moved their business to Clinton from another community.

History of Clinton and the Surrounding Area

First Settlers

 The Clinton area was first settled in April, 1837 by Charles Tuttle, William Murray, Milton Warner and Dr. Dennis Mills. These gentlemen claimed the area for the Jefferson Prairie Company, named after their home county of Jefferson in New York State. They were joined in June of that year by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Downer and Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Tasker.

 The Yankee settlers staked claims in the area that came to be called Clinton Corners, located at what is now the intersection of County Highways X and J, less than a mile west of present-day Clinton. Another early settlers was Ole Natesta who arrived in the area in 1838. He was joined by his brother Ansten and several other Norwegians in 1839. The Norwegian settlement was just south of Clinton near the present Wisconsin-Illinois state line. This settlement, along with one at Luther Valley to the west, were the first Norwegian settlements in Wisconsin and the fourth in this country.

 In 1839 an act of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature established Rock County as an "organized county of the territory," and county officers were elected in March of that year. Clinton Township was created by the legislature as a unit of local government in 1842. Both the Townships of Bradford and Turtle were similarly created in 1846, and two years later Wisconsin became a state.

 In 1843 the U.S. Postal Department established post offices at Clinton Corners and nearby Summerville. That same year a school was constructed at what is now the intersection of Allen Street and Milwaukee Road.

 The first religious services in the area were held in the home of Charles Tuttle in 1839. In 1844 a Methodist Church was constructed in Summerville and was later moved to Clinton Corners. The Jefferson Prairie Lutheran Church was organized in 1844, with a building constructed near the present-day stateline in 1848. During that same year a Baptist Church and a school were built at Clinton Corners.

 By the early 1850s Clinton Corners had a general store, Grange building, dance hall, shoe shop, blacksmith shop, hotel, and tailor shop, along with the churches, school and post office. Many settlers had arrived in the area, so that by 1855 there was a population of 1,359 spread throughout Clinton township.

Construction of the Railroads

 The construction of two intersecting railroad lines in 1856 just one mile to the east of Clinton Corners determined the site of most new development in the area. Some of the buildings at the corners, such as the Baptist Church, were even moved to an area near the depot which became known as Clinton Junction. The post office also moved to the new community, and the one in Summerville closed.

 In 1857, shortly after the construction of the railroads, the U.S. Postal Department Office changed the name of the post office in Clinton Junction to "Ogden", probably in honor of William Ogden, the president of the Chicago and Fond du Lac Railroad Line. However, the people in the community kept using the name Clinton or Clinton Junction.

 To further complicate matters, in 1860 the Postal Department established a post office in Sheboygan County by the name of Clinton. So letters intended for the "Clinton" in Rock County would end up being sent to the other "Clinton" and would have to be sent down to "Ogden." Public sentiment finally prevailed in 1864 when the Postal Department returned the name of Clinton to the Rock County community's post office and named the Sheboygan County community's post office Bamberg.

 Meanwhile, the Methodists built a church in 1857; the Congregationalists built one in 1860; and in 1863 the Baptists erected a new church. A second Lutheran church was established in 1858 near the original building, and the congregation separated into two groups until they were reunited in 1892.

Growth of the Community in the 1870s - 1890s

 Although agriculture was the primary industry in the Clinton area, there were some small industries in Clinton as early as the 1870s. Examples include a cigar factory and a carriage company. A weekly newspaper, the Clinton Independent, started during this period, and there has been at least one weekly newspaper published in the community ever since.

 Additions to the community in the 1880s were the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church (originally called the German Lutheran Church), the Citizens State Bank and a four-year high school. In 1882 Clinton became incorporated as a village, and a constable was hired. At that time there were about 800 people living in the village.

 Additional commercial and governmental growth occurred in the 1890s. A major fire destroyed much of the village's business section in 1896, so that area was rebuilt. In 1895 the limestone watertower was constructed on the village's north side, one of only two such towers in the county. By the next year the village's water system was in place, and a volunteer fire department was created around 1897.

Changes from 1900 - 1930s

 One of Clinton's best known organizations, the 20th Century Club, was first organized as a social group in 1897. It was named the 20th Century Club in 1902 when the group's focus expanded to include civic improvement projects. The club eventually affiliated with the General Federation of Women's Clubs. It provided women an opportunity to study and discuss current events as well as poetry and other literature.

 One the club's early projects was to take over the sponsorship of the community library. First started by the Wisconsin Traveling Library in 1910, the library was operated under the direction of the 20th Century Club until the village assumed its operation in 1964.

 The village government constructed a village hall in 1913, and the building is still in use as a village hall, police station and library. In 1914 a more modern high school was constructed, and the next year the village's sewerage system was completed -the first one constructed in Rock County.

 Another change in the community during this era was the merger of the Methodist and Congregationalist Churches to form the First Presbyterian Church in 1919. A few years later another Methodist Church was established, and today there are seven churches in the village and one just four miles south of town. Also, in 1930 the Pella Lutheran Church was built, and in 1937 the Emmanuel Reformed Church organized. The latter group met in homes and in the Methodist Church building until it constructed its own church in 1950.

 By the 1920s, the community had grown to 938 in population and a larger high school was needed. The new building constructed in 1924 now serves as the middle school. The school has had three additions to accommodate the district's increased enrollment.

 During the 1930s the village, with the help of the Work Projects Administration (WPA) started to develop the park that had been purchased in 1929 on the north side of the village near the watertower. That park is known today as the Herb Reffue Village Park.

 Two present-day Clinton businesses were established in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The DeLong Company, an agribusiness, was originally founded by Frank Johnson and William DeLong in 1929. They had been in the grain and feed business in Darien and Avalon since 1913. Over the years the company expanded its grain and feed business to include storage of grain as well as the distribution of liquid fertilizer, weed control products, and food corn.

 In 1937 the Clinton Consumer's Cooperative was organized in association with the Midland Cooperative and specialized in petroleum products. The company now is known as the Badgerland Farm Center and is owned by Land of Lakes Cooperative.

1950s - 1960s: Public Improvements and School Expansions

 During the 1950s and 60s the community made a variety of public improvements. Electric street lights were installed in 1950; natural gas service provided in 1956; and the present wastewater treatment plant was constructed in 1957, as was the village garage on Front Street. The village expanded the wastewater treatment plant twice since that time as the village expanded both residentially and commercially.

 Schools were expanding during this era, too, to meet the changing education needs of the community. In 1954 the Clinton Community School District was organized, and two of the nearby smaller rural elementary school districts consolidated with the new district. By 1962 the district included the village of Clinton, the townships of Clinton and Bradford, and portions of Turtle, La Prairie and Sharon townships.

 School consolidation led to the construction of new school buildings, with the erection of the elementary school in 1955 and the high school in 1957. The former high school was converted into a middle school.

 Organizations that formed during this period were the Junior Women's Club, the Jaycees, the Garden Club and several Homemakers Clubs. Two groups that were created in the 1940s were the Dary-Paulson American Legion Post #440 in 1945 and the Legion Auxiliary in 1946.

 Public improvements in the 1960s involved the remodeling of the village hall and the expansion of both the elementary and high schools. Also, additional land was purchased for Herb Reffue Park; Gert Wolter Park was created on the village's northwest side; and Lee County Park was added to the county park system. The county park is about three miles south of Clinton and has both recreational facilities and an arboretum for nature study.

 Organizations formed during the early 1960s were the Kiwanis Club, the Seniors Citizens Organization, the Betsy Hoyt Chapter of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), and the Chamber of Commerce. In addition the Clinton Area Fire District was created in 1962 to serve the township of Clinton as well as the village, and Bradford township was added the following year. In 1964 the fire department moved to its current building on Mill Street.

Residential and Industrial Growth in the 1970s

 During the 1970s the village experienced the most dramatic growth in its history, increasing by 31% from a population of 1,351 in 1970 to a population of 1,723 in 1980. (There are 1,923 residents as of the 1990 census.) In response to this growth both the middle school and the high school were expanded.

 Along with residential growth, the community also experienced business and industrial growth. An industrial development group known as Clinton Projects (which became the Clinton Community Development Corporation) had been organized in 1969 to work with the village board to attract more business and industry to Clinton. In the early 1970s the village board purchased a 30-acre parcel on the village's southwest side to be used for an industrial park. The park was expanded in 1978 to its present size of 100 acres.

 In May, 1971 the Wisconsin Division of Economic Development chose Clinton as the "most improved community" in the state in terms of its percentage of economic growth in a 12-month period. The prize was a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal on May 19, 1971. The collaborative efforts of Clinton Projects and the village board, along with the assistance of the Wisconsin Power and Light Company, all contributed to the village receiving this special recognition.

 The first company to locate in the industrial park was the DeLong Company. It renovated the former Bowman Dairy Plant and subsequently added several structures for its liquid fertilizer, chemical, warehousing and grain storage businesses. Others companies were Scot Forge in 1975, Custom Welding in 1976, Clinton Veterinary Clinic in 1981, and Shappert Engineering in 1987. All these companies have since expanded in terms of physical plant and number of employees. The most recent business to locate in the park was the Lakeshore Burial Vault Company.

 Parks and recreational facilities also expanded during this period. A shelter and a baseball diamond were added at Lee Park. Land was donated on the northwest side of Herb Reffue Park so that there was room to add a parking lot. This area was named the Dallman Gateway Entrance. Facilities in the park were expanded and improved, and a new athletic complex was constructed next to the high school. A softball diamond was constructed on land next to the Clinton Town Hall, which is located just west of the village limits. Lights were added in 1980.

 Organizations that formed in the 1970s were the Fencehoppers Snowmobile Club, Fireman's Auxiliary, Home and School Association, Memorial VFW Post 10430, and the VFW Auxiliary. The Clinton Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Program organized in 1979, with the ambulance and trained volunteers operating from the fire department building. Also, the St. Stephen's Catholic Church organized in 1971 and built a church in 1973.

Changes in the 1980s and early 1990s

 In 1981 the Senior Citizens Organization relocated from a downtown storefront to a renovated American Legion Hall. More community organizations formed in the 1980s, namely the Friends of the Library and the Historical Society.

 Major public improvements in the 1980s included the construction of a new fire station on Mill Street in 1985 and the renovation of the village hall in 1986. As part of the renovation the post office moved out of the village hall into a new structure on Allen Street. This move made it possible for the library to triple its square footage within the village hall. A shelter was added at Gert Wolter Park, and the original Village Park was renamed Herb Reffue Park.

 A number of Clinton businesses expanded their facilities and services during the 1980s and early 1990s. Among them were the Meadow Park Nursing Home, the Citizens State Bank, the Clinton-Darien Veterinary Clinic, Hahn's Ace Hardware, Peterson Drug, D J's Clothing Store, Pelishek Jewelry, and Nana's Antique Mall.

 The addition of new specialty retail stores combined with long-established retail businesses have helped to expand Clinton's trade area to even more than the 10,000 people it had been serving. Additions included the Russair's Veils and Tails Bridal Shop and Smokehouse Antiques.

 Improvements to the schools during this period included an addition to the elementary school and the installation of an elevator in the middle school. Also, St. Stephens Catholic Church built a Family Center just north of the church. In addition to serving the church community, the facility is used for such purposes as public health clinics, blood drives, classes offered by local businesses and other community activities.

Year

Pop.

% Change

1960 Census

1274

--

1970 Census

1333

4.6

1980 Census

1751

31.3

1990 Census

1923

9.8

1970

1980

1990

Single Family

347

455

459

Multifaimly

114

196

231

Total

461

651

690