To the north of us about 12 miles is...There’s no place like home
Clinton is a community of caring, proud citizens. This town of more than 9,000 residents celebrates the successes of its townsfolk and the freedoms of America with equal fervor through ongoing events and festivals. A willingness to volunteer, a can-do attitude and cooperation among local organizations all make the city strong.
Clinton residents enjoy a quality of life enhanced by ample housing in a variety of price ranges, top-notch health care, educators committed to their students and an active arts council.
A diverse economy supported by strong industrial, healthcare, retail, service, tourism and government sectors means that Clinton is poised for significant growth. A city-owned industrial park and privately owned properties give new industries a number of options for development sites.
With its reputation as the commercial, industrial and healthcare center for miles around, our community attracts businesses and families alike.
Folks flock to Clinton, Missouri for family fun and golf vacations, fishing and hunting trips, or to sample shopping and festival fun.
Perched on the edge of Truman Lake and at the western trailhead of Katy Trail State Park, Clinton, Missouri provides fantastic outdoor recreation opportunities. Add Missouri's largest downtown square filled with shops and history, and Clinton Missouri has a little bit of something for everyone.
Traveling to Clinton, Missouri is a snap! Just head to west-central Missouri to find the community conveniently located at the junctions of Highways 7, 13, and 52. Kansas City, Branson and the Lake of the Ozarks are just a hop, skip and jump away.
Clinton, Missouri offers big city amenities, including top-quality healthcare, and an airport the available 24/7 for private and corporate aircraft. Yet folks can't help but notice the hometown atmosphere. Clinton's history and heritage are alive and well, and visitors receive a hospitable welcome when they book a stay, dine in our restaurants or shop in Clinton, Missouri.
History of Clinton...The Beginnings
In 1834, Rives County was officially organized and later re-named Henry County in honor of patriot Patrick Henry. The organizing act of 1834 named three commissioners: Henderson
Young and Daniel McDowell of Lafayette County and Daniel M. Boone (son of Daniel Boone) of Jackson County, “for the purpose of selecting a seat of justice . . . .for the county of Rives (Henry).”
Several locations were presented as possibilities. The decision for choosing the location of the county seat came before the county court in November, 1836. The new village’s
location was “the southeast quarter of section 3, township 41, range 26.”
The first mention of the name “Clinton” was at the February, 1837 term of the county court: “Ordered that James M. Goff be allowed $42.75 for services rendered in laying off the town
of Clinton . . . “ Peyton Parks was appointed county seat commissioner, with full power to lay out the town, sell lots, and do whatever was necessary to get Clinton started. The town
was named for DeWitt Clinton, Governor of the state of New York and a major proponent of the Erie Canal.
Mr. Goff marked off 64 lots and the streets now surrounding the square in January, 1837. His streets around the square were 80 feet wide, a six acre square on the prairie. The four streets around the square, and one more street in each direction, were named Main, Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Green, Grand River, East and Water.
East Street was found to be just over the section line and was not laid out on the first plat.
The location for the Clinton Square may have been chosen because it was the last high ground, a natural campsite, before the pioneers went West down the natural pathway cut by
animals and Indians.
The first lot, No. 42, on West Jefferson Street, was sold to John Brummet on February 19, 1837.
The original boundary stone, by which Clinton’s first streets and the square were measured was set in the northeast corner of the property at 126 East Jefferson.
The entrepreneurs of the 1800’s were quick to begin developing Clinton. The first building on the square was a storehouse built of logs erected by Thomas B. and Benjamin F. Wallace in February, 1837.
John Nave opened the first business on the square in August, 1837. He was awarded a license by the county court for a tavern and hotel. He paid $10 to the state and $5 to the county. His hotel “was a first-class structure and looked a good deal like a cattle pen.” It was a double log cabin and stood on the northeast corner of the square. The building was
called “Pollard’s Tavern” and it became a blacksmith shop in 1870, burning down in 1882.
In December of 1837, $2500 was appropriated for the purpose of building a brick courthouse. The brick was fired right on the square, of clay dug in Clinton that was naturally mixed with iron, which made it a dark color. Henry County’s first courthouse was
completed in August, 1839.
The Civil War EraThe Dorman House, now a preservation project of Clinton Main Street, Inc., was built in the
1850’s and was home to Judge J. G. Dorman, his wife Udolpha Miller Dorman and their
seven children. Their granddaughter, Udolpha Phillips, was the last inhabitant of the house
in the 1980’s.
The Dorman House is now a completely restored Civil-War era home open to the public for
tours by appointment. Many stories are told about this family, their lives and their
connection to the Civil War. Judge Dorman was captain of the Home Guard during the Civil
War, was a merchant, later a county commissioner and state representative.
It is said that the Dorman House was the first two-story brick home built in Clinton. The
original home site included all the land bounded by Water, Franklin and Jefferson streets—
with smokehouse, barn, garden, chicken yard, and servants’ quarters; a pasture, horse and
carriage house and slave quarters down the hill. A stagecoach depot was built across the
street at the northeast intersection of Franklin and Water Streets.
The War Between the States was not a stranger to the Clinton Square. On three dates,
March 10, 1862; July 9, 1862; and October 25, 1864, Clinton was mentioned as the site of
small skirmishes. It is believed that one skirmish might have taken place on the Dorman
House lawn. The account of another skirmish mentions the W. A. Duncan home west of the
square, between Grandriver and Ohio, and Orchard and Water Streets—a large block.
At the end of the Civil War in 1865, there were no brick buildings on the square. The stores
on the square were frame and for the most part were free-standing. A. P. Ferguson built
the first brick building on the south side of the square in 1868. He rebuilt the original
building in 1899, widening his original building. In 1905, the building was sold to Elmer E.
Spore for Spore and Son Furniture and Undertaking.
Business in Henry CountyIN 1870, the first train came to Clinton. The county had voted to subscribe $150,000 to the
Tebo and Neosho Railroad. This line was later sold to the Missouri, Kansas and Texas
Railroad (KATY). The county pledged another $250,000 to see this project completed.
The railroad had a phenomenal effect on Clinton’s growth. The city grew by 450% in ten
years!
Clinton was acclaimed a “Model City” in the 1870’s. Business and industry flourished, and
many were founded on the square. Cigar factories and broom manufacturing found Clinton.
As the city enjoyed prosperity, new businesses made their way to the square. There were
hotels, opera houses, drug stores, jewelry stores, book stores, dry goods and newspapers.
Many beautiful three-story Victorian homes were built in Clinton during this period.
Henry County CourthouseHenry County prospered in the late 1800’s. In 1891, after many unsuccessful attempts, the
residents of Henry County passed a $50,000 bond issue for construction of a new
courthouse. In 1892, the court accepted architectural plans drafted by Kansas City
architects Frederick C. Gunn and Louis S. Curtiss. The work contract was given to D. J.
Hyde and Co. of Sedalia, Missouri whose bid was $47,221. On June 24, 1892, the
cornerstone was laid for the present courthouse.
The three-story building was constructed of Warrensburg sandstone and measures 96 x 71
feet. The now-defunct tower, originally 127 feet tall, was constructed of impermanent
material. Its steel framework was covered with copper and a stucco shell. The tower began
leaking a few months after completion of the courthouse. Architect Gunn was recalled in
1896 to make repairs.
Tower repairs plagued 20th century courts. In 1969, the court sought the county’s opinion
in a straw vote regarding removal of the tower. Of 20,000 residents, 532 ballots were cast.
The count was 425 votes in favor of removal of the tower and 107 votes favoring
restoration. Judges voted unanimously to remove the tower. Removal took place on
February 21, 1969, despite the protests of historic preservationists.
This historic landmark remains today as the heart of Henry County. Many of the buildings of
the 1800’s stand proud today reminding us of the Victorian heritage of Clinton.
Coal MiningCoal Mining has been a very important industry in Henry County since the 1870’s. The kind
of mining done in this part of the country is known as Strip Mining. Strips of coal appear
close to the surface of the ground where they can be scooped out. Early on, it was done by
manpower, mules, wagons, horses and ponies.
The Reliance Coal Mine was located three miles northwest of Clinton in Fields Creek
township on the Frisco Railroad. As early as 1922, steam shovels removed the coal and it
would be loaded by hand into small rail cars. In 1928, the mine was sold to the Crowe
family, active in coal mining in the Pittsburg, Kansas area.
Early in the 1930’s, the coal south of the railroad was depleted so the shovels were moved
north of the railroad. At this time, the narrow gauge railroad was discontinued and a
contract was let to haul the coal by truck. After about two years, the company purchased
their own fleet of trucks.
In 1949 as the available coal was depleted, the mine was moved about eight miles north to
Harvey (Garland). In 1956, the mine was purchased by Hume-Sinclair Coal Co. and a year
later by the Peabody Coal Co. All Peabody mines were Union so the Reliance mine became
a member of the United Mine Workers of America. In 1958, the company decided to close
this mine and concentrate on two other mines in the county. In 1959, the mine closed after
36 years of continuous mining.
Strip mining continued in Henry County in the 1950’s and 60’s with the most activity in the
southwest part of the county around Montrose. The beginning of the Power Mine was in
1951 on the site of a local farm, two miles north of Montrose. In 1952 it was moved north of
Deepwater Creek to a new location.
Kansas City Power & Light Station Plant began operation in 1958 burning raw coal directly
from the pits of the power mine. In 1964 and again in 1969, bigger and better machinery
was added. In 1972 with two 5561 Machines and small dragline uncovering the coal, a
production record of one and a half million tons of coal was reached. There was a greater
demand for electricity and a need for more and more coal to feed the hungry boilers at
KCPL. The power mine was the sole source of fuel to the Montrose Station.
There were over 200 people employed in and around the power mine when it was at peak
production but as all good things must come to an end, the power mine ceased operation
and completely shut down in 1987.
The high cost of land reclamation, acid rain, small coal seams and the high sulfur content
made it necessary to move operations to the western states where an abundance of low-
sulfur coal was available.
Some facts about coal mining in Henry County:
Henry County was the third largest producer of coal in the state.
The Reliance Coal Mine was the largest producer in Henry County and the fourth
largest producer in Missouri at one time.
The Reliance Mine produced annually approximately 5,000 cars of coal which is
enough to make a train fifty miles long.
All coal produced by this mine was screened, hand picked, washed, sized, and
completely prepared in the preparation plant.
The company employed about 65 men which means that it furnished a living for about
325 Clinton people.
Baby ChicksAnother industry in the area in the early 1900’s was poultry-raising. Clinton was know as
the “Baby Chick Capital of the World.” It began in 1913, when Royal Booth, then a high-
school student, received a free set of purebred White Rock chicken eggs as an incentive to
try his hand at poultry husbandry. The Kansas City, Clinton, and Springfield Railroad
(KCCS) was one of the companies participating in a poultry research program at the
University of Missouri-Columbia and operated a farm industrial train along routes in western
Missouri.
Intent on starting his own flock of broiler hens for market, Booth purchased another set of
purebred eggs for five dollars. He abandoned his previous notion of pursuing a teaching
career and, instead, invested in a twenty-egg incubator.
At this time, the US Post Office did not allow the shipment of chickens by parcel post. The
demand for chickens for household flocks necessitated suppliers, yet no hatchery existed
west of the Mississippi River. Booth sought to produce a hen that would lay year-round yet
be affordable for the average consumer. Poultry producers had discovered that newly
hatched chicks could survive up to 72 hours without feeding since they retained sufficient
nutrients from the yolk.
In April 1918, the post office changed its policy and permitted baby chicks to be mailed by
parcel post. This was the impetus for Booth’s success and the future of the hatchery
business in Clinton. Booth published his first mail-order catalog that same year.
Large shipments of chicks translated to healthy receipts for the US Post Office Department.
A new post office was built in 1929 to accommodate the estimated four million chicks that
passed through the post office in 1930.
Other hatcheries opened for business in the Clinton area. Most well-known were the Bush
Hatchery and the Lindstrom Hatchery and Poultry Farm. Others in the area were the
Superior Hatchery and Colonial Poultry Farm in Windsor, both with a Booth family
connection.
During WWII, local women filled jobs left behind by the Henry County men who joined or
were drafted into the armed services. In 1943, Henry County hatcheries employed 442
workers. When veterans returned to Henry County, many found employment at the
hatcheries. When the industry peaked in the 1950’s, Clinton hatcheries were annually
shipping a combined total of 110 million baby chicks.
New choices offered to consumers in the postwar period, such as graded eggs and process
and frozen poultry meat, spelled the end for the hatchery business in Clinton. All of Clinton’
s large hatcheries were closed by the late 1960’s.
Today's CultureThe Clinton square streetscape is dotted with buildings representing many eras in our
history. Some of the original storefronts are still apparent today, such as Keil’s Jewelry,
Livingston Building, Glasscock building, State Farm Insurance and the western building of
the Mike Keith Insurance agency, formerly Ebertings.
Today, Clinton’s Square displays its heritage with pride. Since 1989, Clinton Main Street,
Inc. has been active in the preservation and revitalization of the Historic District and many of
the facades have been renovated. Good examples of restoration are Breanna’s, The Shop
and Antiques on Washington.
The Henry County Museum and Cultural Arts Center, located off the Clinton Square,
preserves many of the memories dear to residents of Henry County. The main Museum
building was originally owned by Anheuser-Busch and served as a Distribution Center. The
front room was originally the office area and the original woodwork and floor is still in place.
The next room back was the Bottling Room and behind that was the Cooling Room where
the unpasteurized beer was kept cool to avoid spoiling.
The Stables are in the rear, and although the stalls are gone, it is apparent that this was
where the horses were kept for the horse-drawn wagons for delivery. Upstairs was the
hayloft and is now the Military Room that houses artifacts from the Civil War through Desert
Storm.
Visitors can step back in time as they stroll through the late-1800’s village and tour the
exhibits. The genealogy library is an invaluable community resource. Across the street,
one can visit the 1856 Dogtrot House and Homestead.
The Delozier Building, just to the east of the Museum, was built in 1887 as the Henry County
Bank. It was the first bank in Henry County and also housed the first Post Office. It now
serves as the Children’s Corner Theatre, a home for the arts, and a hall for community
events.
In 1986, the north west corner of the square suffered a tragic fire in what was then a
Western Auto Store. The lot stood empty for a few years but is now home to a new Rotary
Building, built in 1999. The local Rotary club took great pains to insure the architecture
conforms with that of the Historic Square District.
Another new building in the downtown district is Clinton City Hall which was opened in
February 2006. Again, great care was taken to make sure the new building fits within the
Historic District.
Pictorial History
Glasscock Jewelry, located on the northeast
corner of the square, was originally the People’s
Bank, organized in 1907. Salmon and Salmon,
founded in 1866 and re-established in 1873,
merged with the State Bank of Clinton in 1899,
before becoming the Peoples Bank. The
building was later the home of Union State Bank.
The present Henry County Courthouse,
completed in 1893, sits on the site of the
original brick courthouse. Originally, the
courthouse sported a tower built of stucco over
a steel framework, with 20 tons of copper
sheathing on the outside. A side walk was
completed around the courthouse the same
summer. In 1969, the tower was removed and
the building was sandblasted and re-roofed.
The Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce is
now housed in the former Katy (Missouri,
Kansas and Texas) Railroad Station. The first
train came through Clinton in 1870, and the
current station was built in 1886 after the first
station burned to the ground. It was remodeled
in 1944. The depot was moved to its present
site on the southeast corner of the square on
Dec. 9, 1979. Organized as the Commercial
Club in 1905, the name was later changed to
the Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce.
A watering trough for horses and dogs was
built in 1911 on the southwest corner of the
square in the center of the intersection. It was
first moved to the northwest corner of the
square and later to its present location on the
southeast corner of the courthouse lawn. The
inscription reads “1911—National Humane
Alliance—Hermon Lee Ensign—Founder.”
Clinton’s Bandstand, located on the northwest
corner of the courthouse lawn, has been the site of
numerous musicals, speeches, ceremonies and
theatrical entertainment events. It was erected in
1921 as a WWI Memorial and was remodeled in
1958 with an inscription that reads, “Dedicated as a
lasting tribute to the War Veterans of this
community, Nov. 11, 1958.” It was re-dedicated on
July 6, 1996 in honor of Henry County Veterans.
The Delozier Building, located on the
northwest corner of the square, was
originally the Henry County Bank which
opened in January 1887. The foundation
was built of “Warrensburg Stone” and the
interior was described as, “quite elegant,”
with a great deal of marble. The bank
failed in 1896.
The Henry County Museum, dedicated on July
4, 1976, is located in the historic
Anheuser-Busch Building off the northwest
corner of the square. The building, finished in
1886, served as a distribution point for the
brewery.
Just off the southwest corner of the square
on Washington Street was the first official
City Hall, built in 1891. The building also
housed both the police and fire stations
and was used until the 1970’s when the old
Wetzel Clinic building on the corner of
Main and Ohio became the “new” City
Hall. The building was demolished in 2006
when a new, much larger City Hall was
erected at the same location.
Located at the southwest corner of
Second and Grandriver Streets, the
Victorian home was built in 1868 by
Gustave Haysler. The home was
purchased and lovingly restored by Mr.
and Mrs. Ted Thomas.
