Clinton, Iowa

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Clinton
City
Location in the State of Iowa
Location in the State of Iowa
Country United States
State Iowa
CountyClinton
Incorporated1836
Government
 • MayorLaMetta K Wynn
Area
 • City38.3 sq mi (99.2 km2)
 • Land35.6 sq mi (92.1 km2)
 • Water2.8 sq mi (7.1 km2)
Elevation
597 ft (182 m)
Population
 (2006)
 • City27,042
 • Density759.6/sq mi (301.5/km2)
 • Metro
49,782
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (CDT)
ZIP codes
52700-52799
Area code563
FIPS code19-14430
GNIS feature ID0455480
Websitehttp://www.ci.clinton.ia.us/
View of downtown Clinton looking north

Clinton is a city in Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 27,772 at the 2000 census and the 2006 estimate was 27,042. It is the county seat of Clinton CountyTemplate:GR. Along with DeWitt, Iowa, it was named in honor of the seventh Governor of New York State, DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the center of a small metro area, including Camanche, Iowa; Fulton, Illinois; Albany, Illinois; and the unincorporated area of East Clinton, Illinois.

History

Among the first settlers of European origin in the Clinton area was Elijah Buell, who built a log cabin on July 25, 1835 and established the town of Lyons, named after the French city of the same name. Lyons later merged with Clinton.

Clinton was platted as the town of New York in 1836 by Joseph Bartlett.[1] In March 1837 Noble and Sarah Gregory Perrin purchased one hundred thirty six acres of land in what is now Clinton and raised their family in a cabin located approximately at the foot of the railroad bridge (The Clinton Herald Monday January 21, 1924 p.6). Their oldest daughter, Valeria, married Dr. Augustus Lafayette Ankeny, who participated in the Blackhawk war and came to Lyons in April 1850. Mary Perrin, born September 26, 1837 was the first female child of European ancestry born in Clinton County. In 1839, as in most early river towns, the town consisted of a sprinkling of cabins, two stores and a tavern. In 1855, the Chicago, Iowa, Nebraska Railroad announced it would cross the river at Little Rock Island adjacent to Bartlett's settlement. The Iowa Land Company was organized on May 26, 1855 and on July 4, bought Bartlett's tract and renamed it Clinton, in honor of DeWitt Clinton, two-time governor of New York and one of the driving forces behind the construction of the Erie Canal. On November 10, 1855, the first plat of the city of Clinton was signed. On January 26, 1857 the city was granted a charter and on March 7, the charter was adopted. On April 5, 1859, the amended charter of the city was adopted which lasted until a general charter was adopted in 1867. In June 1859 the railroad line was completed to Cedar Rapids. The first train crossed from the Illinois shore to Little Rock Island at noon, January 9, 1860 and was ferried from there to the Iowa shore. In January, 1864 construction was started on the span from Little Rock Island to the Iowa shore and was completed on January 6, 1865. The original single track railroad bridge was replaced by a double track bridge that was completed in 1909. The first Lyons-Fulton Bridge was completed in 1891 and replaced with the current structure in 1975.

The first public school opened in Clinton was conducted in a log house near the W.J. Young upper mill. It was erected in the winter of 1855-56 and Isaac Baldwin was its first teacher. St. Irenaeus school was opened in 1852.

Between the 1850s and 1900, the cities of Lyons and Clinton quickly became centers of the lumber industry and were regarded as the "Lumber Capital of the World." Huge log rafts were floated down the river from Wisconsin and Minnesota, cut into lumber at Clinton, then shipped to the growing communities via the river and the railroads. Companies owned by the W.J. Young, Chancy Lamb, George M. and Charles F. Curtis (Curtis Bros. & Co), David Joyce, Silas W. Gardiner Lyons, Iowa Lumber History, and Friedrich Weyerhäuser families soon became among the largest in the nation. In the 1880s and 1890s Clinton boasted 13 resident millionaires, more millionaires per capita than any other town or city in the nation.

The largest, most elaborate party ever held in Clinton celebrated the debut of Emma Lamb and the twentieth wedding anniversary of her parents, Artemus and Henrietta Sabrina Smith Lamb on October 13, 1885. Fellow lumber baron F.C. Weyerhauser, his wife and daughter attended together with several hundred guests all attired in formal wear (The Clinton Morning News Wednesday October 15, 1885).

The era of opulence came to an end by 1900, as the northern forests were depleted. The sawmills eventually closed, but the railroad and river, providing economical transportation in all directions, attracted manufacturing and heavy industry. The city still boasts a number of magnificent Victorian mansions, including the Curtis Mansion, which is now the home of the Clinton Women's Club.

The original Lyons-Fulton Bridge was constructed in 1891 (replaced by the Mark N. Morris Memorial Bridge in 1975) followed by the Clinton High Bridge in 1892 (replaced by the Gateway Bridge in 1956).

The American Protective Association (APA) was founded in Clinton on March 13, 1887 by Attorney Henry Francis Bowers.

In 1941, with Howard Judd as coach, Clinton High School (http://www.clinton.k12.ia.us/chs.html) won the first of its 11 state championships in swimming. This string included five straight championships between 1954 and 1958 and produced 39 individual All Americans and 14 Individual All American Relay Teams (The Howard Judd Story Reception Program June 5, 1966). Clinton’s athletic success was enhanced in 1953 when St. Mary’s won the state basketball championship.

On April 27, 1951 the Mississippi crested at 20.7 feet, then on April 26, 1952 it crested again at 20.9 feet. All of that was an exercise compared with the crest on April 28, 1965 which at 24.85 feet was the highest ever recorded (The Great Flood of 1965 At Clinton, Iowa A Pictorial Review From KROS Radio News Department)(http://www.waymarking.com/wm/details.aspx?f=1&guid=33ee6931-c7e0-44bb-bcb2-def27bf009f4).

Construction of the Gateway Bridge (Illinois-Iowa) was started in August, 1954, was finished in May, 1956 and opened on July 1, 1956.

In 2005, Clinton, along with Coon Rapids, Iowa and Sioux City was awarded one of the inaugural Iowa Great Places designations. This award brought to Clinton a $1M state budget allocation for cultural and landscape improvements along the city's riverfront.

Geography

Clinton is located at 41°50′49″N 90°12′26″W / 41.84694°N 90.20722°W / 41.84694; -90.20722Invalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (41.846863, -90.207330)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 99.2 km² (38.3 mi²). 92.1 km² (35.6 mi²) of it is land and 7.1 km² (2.8 mi²) of it (7.18%) is water.

Clinton is at the east state line of Iowa on the Mississippi River and is the easternmost city in Iowa. The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge goes through Clinton along the river.

The pool of the Mississippi River above Lock and Dam No. 13 is one of the widest sections of the River at 1.8 miles across, according to the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Transportation

U.S. Highway 30 (Lincoln Highway), U.S. Highway 67 and State Highway 136 go through Clinton. The Great River Road along the Mississippi uses U.S. Highway 67

For air travel, the Quad City International Airport across the river in Moline, Illinois is the closest commercial airport and can be reached in less than one hour by car. O'Hare International Airport is about three hours driving time away

Clinton has a municipal airport (Clinton Municipal Airport, KCWI) that serves the general aviation community. There are two runways, 3-21 which is 5,200' long, and 14-32 which is 3700' long. Numerous instrument approaches are available.

Major railroads include the Union Pacific Railroad and the Iowa, Chicago & Eastern.

A national U.S. recreation trail, the Mississippi River Trail passes through Clinton.

Economy

Major private sector employers in Clinton include:


Odor Controversy

The city of Clinton has long had a problem with odiferous fumes produced by many of its companies, many of which process agricultural products. The smell as one passes through Clinton has given the city the derogatory nickname of "The Armpit of Iowa." The pollution and odor problems of local factories and plants have been a source of controversy for years. Report

Festivals and Events

Balloons in June

Recreation

Clinton has many city parks, most notably Eagle Point Park (http://www.superpages.com/cities/mtg/43196/) and Riverview Park. The Bickelhaupt Arboretum is a fine, non-profit arboretum with one of North America's largest collections of dwarf conifers.

Culture and institutions

Clinton has its own orchestra, the 50-member Clinton Symphony Orchestra, performing classical concerts throughout the year.

Architecture

The Clinton County Courthouse, National Register of Historic Places
The Clinton Public Library, National Register of Historic Places

National Historic Landmark

Buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

  • Clinton County Courthouse constructed from 1892-1897 by architects Stanley Mansfield and Josiah Rice in Romanesque style. Exterior walls are of red sandstone and granite and the tower is of copper which has weathered to a bright green color.
  • Clinton Public Library financed by Andrew Carnegie and built 1903-1904 from the design of the Chicago architectural firm of Patton & Miller. Beaux Arts Classicism style with a monumental entry with processional steps and flanking paired columns. Symmetry of design and borrowings of Greek and Roman inspired elements complete the composition. Exterior walls of cut and dressed limestone.
  • Lafayette Lamb Home (YWCA) constructed in 1877 by architect W.W. Sanborn and rebuilt in 1906. Originally built in the Second Empire style, the 1906 'modernization' converted it to more of the Georgian Revival style.
  • City National Bank (First National Bank) designed by John Morrell & Son in the Neo-Classical Revival style. Constructed in 1911-1912
  • Howes Building constructed in 1900 for Edward Madison Howes by architect Josiah Rice in Renaissance Revival style featuring engaged pilasters with Ionic capitals. The exterior street facades of the building are of red face brick with decorative accents of red terra cotta. The fourth floor added in 1905 by architect John Morrell.
  • Ankeny Building constructed in 1930, designed by Chicago architect Harold Holmes in "Moderne" or Art Deco style. The building street facades are clad with cream colored terra cotta panels. Upper story windows are steel and glass in a stylized "Chicago window" expression. The Clinton Herald Monday December 8, 1930 p. 8, The Clinton Herald Saturday December 13, 1930 p. 5, The Clinton Herald Monday December 15, 1930 p. 16, The Clinton Herald Tuesday December 30, 1930 p. 5, The Clinton Herald Tuesday, January 6, 1931 p. 5, The Clinton Herald Thursday, January 8, 1931 p. 5, The Clinton Herald Thursday May 21, 1931 p. 11.
  • Moeszinger-Marquis (Armstrong) Building designed by Josiah Rice and constructed in 1891 by William Bentley for the Clinton Produce Company. In 1907 the Baldwin Bros. acquired the building for its wholesale hardware business which in turn passed to its successor company, the Moeszinger-Marquis Hardware Company in 1912. In 1941 the building was acquired by R.W. Armstrong who also conducted a wholesale hardware business from the premises
  • George M. Curtis Mansion (Women's Club) constructed in Queen Anne style in 1883-1884
  • Castle Terrace Historic District built circa 1926 by the Curtis Bros. & Co Service Bureau with E.E. Green, Architect-in-Charge. Originally platted in 1892. The project was a promotional effort to show developers, architects, and builders the application and products of the Curtis Company. The architectural design is highly eclectic with Tudor Gothic the primary style utilized. [1]
  • Cherry Bank Built 1870-1871 the Dr. A.L. Ankeny/Lindmeier/Cottral house is two stories high with walls of red brick with buff-colored brick used for quoins at the corners and for the window arches. A cornice, hip roof, and widow's walk cap the building

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 27,772 people, 11,427 households, and 7,358 families residing in the city. The population density was 301.5/km² (780.9/mi²). There were 12,412 housing units at an average density of 134.7/km² (349.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.80% White, 3.22% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.68% of the population.

There were 11,427 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.

Clinton's population has changed as follows over time:

  • 1860 - 4,519 (including Lyons) - [Los Angeles population - 4,385]
  • 1870 - 12,447 (including Lyons) - [Los Angeles population - 5,730]
  • 1880 - 14,479 (including Lyons) - [Los Angeles population - 11,200]
  • 1890 - 20,457 (including Lyons) - [Los Angeles population - 50,400]
  • 1897 - 28,150
  • 1900 - 22,698
  • 1910 - 25,577
  • 1920 - 24,151
  • 1930 - 25,726
  • 1940 - 26,270
  • 1950 - 30,379
  • 1960 - 33,589
  • 1970 - 34,719
  • 1980 - 32,828
  • 1990 - 29,201
  • 2000 - 27,772

In the 2000 census 37.7% of the population reported they were of German ancestry, 15.3% of Irish ancestry, 11.4% of British (English, Scottish, Welsh or Scots-Irish) ancestry, 7.8% of Scandinavian ancestry and 5.8% of Dutch ancestry

The median income for a household in the city was $34,159, and the median income for a family was $43,157. Males had a median income of $34,210 versus $20,882 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,320. About 10.0% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Famous people

References

The Biographical Record of Clinton County Iowa S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Chicago 1901

Wolfe's History of Clinton County Iowa B.F. Bowen & Company Indianapolis, Indiana 1911

History of Clinton County Iowa Clinton County Historical Society 1976

  1. ^ http://www.clintonia.com/community.html

The Clinton Herald, February 5, 2007, "Why Have Odor Complaints Declined?" by Scott T. Holland.

External links

Template:Mapit-US-cityscale

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