The City of Clinton might still be a small hamlet
named New York if not for a geographical good fortune. Platted as
the town of New York in 1836 by its first settler Joseph Bartlett, the
community was one of several clustered on the west bank of the
Mississippi River. Other communities were Lyons, Ringwood, Chancy
and Camanche.
The fledgling settlement had little hope of
growth. In 1839, it consisted of a sprinkling of cabins, two
stores and a tavern. Lyons - to the north where Elijah Buell had
established a ferry - grew at a healthy pace. Lyons was the first
milltown with grain and flourmills before being recognized for its
lumber potential.
Throughout the 1840’s, New York changed
little while communities around it continued to develop. However,
in 1855, the Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska Railroad changed its plans and
announced it would cross the river at Little Rock Island adjacent to
Bartlett's settlement instead of at Lyons.
The Iowa Land Company bought Bartlett's tract and
renamed it Clinton, in honor of DeWitt Clinton, governor of New York
State. From that date on, Clinton grew, absorbing Ringwood, Chancy and
Lyons, and becoming the Clinton County seat as well.
In the early 1800’s, not everyone could
afford passage on the steamboats which paddled the Mississippi bringing
goods and people to Clinton County. Some came by horse-drawn
wagons; others walked the many miles.
Among the walkers in 1835 was Dr. George Peck.
When he came upon a high bluff on the west river bank, he thought it
ideal for a great city and set about platting it. He named his town
after an Indian tribe, but misspelled it. Camanche, with its erroneous
“a” was born.
That same year, Martin Dunning arrived from
Chicago with a load of general merchandise and became the first
businessman to settle in Camanche. Peck’s investment was secured
when Albany, Illiniois was platted across the river and a ferry to
Camanche was established. Camanche was the first governmental seat when
the county was formally organized in 1840.
A bit of Camanche history - its old railroad
depot has been fully restored and set on the library grounds as an
historic museum.
Between the 1850’s and 1900, the Clinton
area was regarded as the sawmill capital of the nation. Huge log
rafts were floated down the river from Wisconsin and Minnesota, cut
into lumber at Clinton, then shipped to growing communities east, west,
north and south via the river and the railroads.
In 1865, the sawmills produced 21.5 million feet
of lumber. By 1892, production had risen to more than 195 million
board feet.
Lumbermen W.J. Young, Chancy Lamb and David Joyce
were counted among the 13 millionaires in Clinton during one period and
were among the city's most influential leaders.
These families and others who gained great wealth
during the era constructed magnificent mansions along 5th, 6th and 7th
Avenues in Clinton. That area became the center of elite social life.
Elaborate and festive dinner parties, often catered out of
Chicago, were frequent.
Once again, location aided the River City area.
The railroad and the river continue to provide
economic diversity in all directions, attracting manufacturing and
heavy industry to the community, plus providing sport and recreational
activities and commerce. Since the early years of this century, and
continuing forward, the Clinton area has prospered as an industrial
center, with a steadily growing list of products and services, which
are delivered to all parts of the nation and the world.
”More home for the money” is a
hallmark of housing in the Clinton region. Housing exists for all
price ranges.
Construction of single-family homes in the area
is at a 25 year high with more and more families finding it makes sense
to live in the area. All three communities are opening new
subdivisions to construct new homes.
Across the Clinton region, many distinctive
neighborhoods give residents a variety of living experiences: from
quiet cul-de-sac's to areas filled with children and young families,
from sweeping views of the river to the hustle and bustle of apartment
living in downtown shopping districts.
Clinton Community College 1000 Lincoln Blvd., Clinton, IA 52732 244-7001
Graphic Arts & Technology Center 1951 Manufacturing Drive, Clinton, IA 52732
244-7010
Ashford University
400 North Bluff Blvd., Clinton, IA 52732 242-4023
Camanche High School 937 9th Avenue, Camanche, IA 52730
259-3008
Camanche Middle School 1400 9th Street, Camanche, IA 52730 259-3014
Camanche Elementary School 508 11th Place, Camanche, IA 52730 259-3016
Clinton Community Schools 600 South 4th Street, Clinton, IA 52732
243-9600
Clinton High School
817 8th Avenue South, Clinton, IA 52732 243-7540
Lincoln High School
1850 South Bluff Blvd., Clinton, IA 52732 242-8137
Lyons Middle School
2810 North 4th Street, Clinton, IA 52732 242-7858
Washington Middle School 751 2nd Avenue South, Clinton, IA 52732
243-0466
Eagle Heights Elementary, 1350 Main
Avenue,Clinton, IA 52732 563-243-4288
Bluff Elementary School 1421 South Bluff Blvd., Clinton, IA 52732
243-0486
Jefferson Elementary School 720 4th Avenue South, Clinton, IA 52732
243-0479
Whittier Elementary School 100 North 13th Street, Clinton, IA 52732
243-3230
Prince of Peace Schools 312 South 4th Street, Clinton, IA 52732
242-1663
River Bend Community Schools 1110 3rd Street, Fulton, IL 61252 815-589-2711
Fulton High School
1207 12th Street, Fulton, IL 61252 815-589-3511
Fulton Elementary School 1301 7th Avenue, Fulton, IL 61252 815-589-2911
Fulton Middle School
415 12th Street, Fulton, IL 61252 815-589-2611
Unity Christian High School 711 10th Street, Fulton, IL 61252 815-589-3912
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