Clinton, Illinois

Clinton is the largest city in DeWitt County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,004 at the 2020 census.[2] It is the county seat of DeWitt County.[3]

Not to be confused with Clinton County, Illinois.
Clinton
City
Clinton city hall
Clinton city hall
Motto: 
"On the rise since 1835"
Location of Clinton in De Witt County, Illinois.
Location of Clinton in De Witt County, Illinois.
Location of Illinois in the United States
Location of Illinois in the United States
Coordinates: 40°9′8″N 88°57′33″W
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountyDeWitt
TownshipClintonia, Texas
Government
 • MayorRoger Cyrulik
Area
[1]
 • Total3.54 sq mi (9.18 km2)
 • Land3.54 sq mi (9.18 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
726 ft (221 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total7,004
 • Density1,976.30/sq mi (762.95/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)
61727
Area code217
FIPS code17-15001
Wikimedia CommonsClinton, Illinois
Websitewww.clintonillinois.com

The city and the county are named for DeWitt Clinton, governor of New York, 1817–1823. Clinton Nuclear Generating Station is located six miles away on Clinton Lake.

Geography
Clinton, Illinois (2015)

Clinton is centrally located in the heart of Illinois, at 40°9′8″N 88°57′33″W (40.152240, -88.959214),[4] accessible from Routes 51, 54, and 10.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Clinton has a total area of 3.54 square miles (9.17 km2), all land.[5]

History

The city was founded in 1835 by Jesse W. Fell of Bloomington, Illinois, a land speculator and lawyer, and James Allen, a representative in the Illinois State Legislature. The two men were on their way from Decatur, Illinois back to Bloomington after a business trip and stopped to rest their horses on the open prairie halfway between the two cities. It occurred to them that this was an ideal location for a settlement, as there was nothing else nearby. They named the town in honor of DeWitt Clinton.[6]

Clinton is on the 8th Judicial Circuit, on which Abraham Lincoln traveled, along with Judge David Davis, for twenty years. Lincoln acted as lawyer because lawyers were scarce in the area at the time.

One of the two registered historical locations in DeWitt County, the C.H. Moore House, is located in Clinton. The house was purchased and improved by lawyer Clifton H. Moore in the 1880s, and is now the DeWitt County Museum. Moore's private library of more than 7,000 volumes was left to the city upon his death in 1901. These books would make up the first collection of the Vespasian Warner Public Library, founded by and named for Moore's son-in-law.

In 1858, Abraham Lincoln gave a speech in Clinton to which the following quotation has been attributed:[7]

You can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.

on Sept. 18, according to Carl Sandburg. However, there is no official transcript of the speech. Lincoln's collected papers has a version of the speech taken from a contemporary copy in the Bloomington Pantagraph which doesn't contain it. It has also been attributed to a speech by Lincoln in Bloomington, IL two years earlier, and there is controversy over whether or not Lincoln ever said it at all.

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850367—
18601,362271.1%
18701,80032.2%
18802,70950.5%
18902,598−4.1%
19004,45271.4%
19105,16516.0%
19205,89814.2%
19305,9200.4%
19406,3316.9%
19505,945−6.1%
19607,35523.7%
19707,5813.1%
19808,0145.7%
19907,437−7.2%
20007,4850.6%
20107,225−3.5%
20207,004−3.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]

As of the 2020 census[2] there were 7,004 people, 3,102 households, and 1,676 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,976.30 inhabitants per square mile (763.05/km2). There were 3,384 housing units at an average density of 954.85 per square mile (368.67/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.49% White, 1.06% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 2.60% from other races, and 4.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.15% of the population.

There were 3,102 households, out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.78% were married couples living together, 13.25% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.97% were non-families. 42.94% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.67% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 2.18.

The city's age distribution consisted of 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $46,741, and the median income for a family was $63,125. Males had a median income of $40,918 versus $26,554 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,368. About 9.2% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The major employers in Clinton include the Clinton Nuclear Power Plant, Warner Hospital & Health Services, Miller Container, RR Donnelley, and HNC Products Inc., and Liberty Village of Clinton.

Attractions

Recreation and entertainment
  • The annual Apple and Pork Festival draws ten times or more of the population to the city to visit, partake, and purchase items typifying the town.[9]
  • Terror on Washington Street is an annual haunted house run by Clinton's Chamber of Commerce.[10]
  • May Days is an annual festival that has carnival rides as well as live music and various other entertainment events.[11]
  • Clinton High School Band is a highly regarded group in Clinton, IL.

Nature and wildlife

Other attractions

Notable people

References
  1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  2. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  5. Bureau, US Census. "Gazetteer Files". Census.gov. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  6. Illinois Central Magazine. Illinois Central Railroad Company. 1922. p. 44.
  7. Lincoln Legends: Myths, Hoaxes, and Confabulations associated with our greatest President. Edward Steers, Jr.
  8. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  9. "City of Clinton Visitors Page". Archived from the original on May 21, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  10. "Clinton Haunted House Site". Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  11. "Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau Events and Attractions". Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  12. "City of Clinton Parks Page". Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  13. "CH Moore Homestead Site". Archived from the original on September 26, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  14. "SEPTEMBER 2, 1858: ABRAHAM LINCOLN SPEAKS IN CLINTON, IL". Retrieved May 27, 2017.
  15. "Abraham Lincoln Quotes". but you can't fool all of the people all of the time
  16. "Al Atkinson". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  17. 'Illinois Blue Book 1941-1942,' Biographical Sketch of William Querfeld, pg. 206
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