The city was established in 1829 and is named for DeWitt Clinton, governor of New York from 1817 to 1823.[6] Many of Clinton's original settlers were immigrants working in coal mines, many from Italy. According to Vermillion County naturalization records, "...from 1856 to 1952... Vermillion County received almost 3,550 new citizens of foreign birth, the largest number coming during the first twelve years of [the 20th] century. Italians accounted for one-third, or 1,178, of the total number who filed Declarations, with Austrians the next largest group (675) and then Scots. At least 77 percent of the Italians were from the northern regions of Italy."[7] This was in contrast to the majority of Italian immigrants to America during this same time period that hailed from southern Italy. Over time, the coal mining industry in Clinton ended but many of the Italian settlers stayed at Clinton.
The Clinton post office has been in operation since 1823.[8]
The Clinton Paving and Building Brick Company was established in 1893, at which time it was producing 40,000 bricks per day.[9]
Geography
Clinton is located in the southern part of the county along the Wabash River, near the intersection of State Road 63 (which passes just west of the city) and State Road 163 (which passes through the city). U.S. Route 41 lies just to the east of the city, across the river in neighboring Parke County. The smaller town of Fairview Park is adjacent to Clinton on the north side of the city.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Clinton has a total area of 2.259 square miles (5.85 km2), of which 2.24 square miles (5.80 km2) (or 99.16%) is land and 0.019 square miles (0.05 km2) (or 0.84%) is water.[10]
As of the 2010 United States Census,[12] there were 4,893 people, 1,988 households, and 1,232 families in the city. The population density was 2,184.4 inhabitants per square mile (843.4/km2). There were 2,332 housing units at an average density of 1,041.1 per square mile (402.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.5% White, 0.2% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.0% of the population.
There were 1,988 households, of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.0% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% 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 2.96.
The median age in the city was 38.8 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.4% were from 25 to 44; 24.2% were from 45 to 64; and 17.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States Census,[4] there were 5,126 people, 2,124 households, and 1,319 families in the city. The population density was 2,284.5/sqmi (883.6/km2). There were 2,379 housing units at an average density of 1,060.3/sqmi (410.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.15% White, 0.35% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.16% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.68% of the population.
There were 2,124 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.93.
The city population contained 22.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,330, and the median income for a family was $36,692. Males had a median income of $28,294 versus $22,927 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,601. About 7.4% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 20.0% of those age 65 or over.
The town has a lending library, the Clinton Public Library.[14]
Events
The Little Italy Festival celebrates the area's Italian and coal mining heritage. Begun in 1966, the event draws over 75,000 visitors annually, featuring Italian and carnival-style food, grapevine-roofed wine garden, and grape stomping. The festival features the largest Italian-theme parade in the Midwest, and a coal mining museum.[citation needed]
Government
Clinton city government consists of a mayor and a city council. The mayor is Jack Gilfoy Jr.[citation needed]
Again elected for 1922 through 1925. He died while in office Feb. 9, 1924. L.T. Shannon, councilman, and Sam Kaneznovich both served as mayor pro term until a permanent mayor could be selected.
Elected for 1943 through 1946. The state legislature again extended the term of office one additional year, through 1947. He was re-elected for 1948 through 1951. He was re-elected again for a record third term, 1952 through 1955 – a total of 13 years.
Bull's Head Fountain at Immigrant Plaza was cast in Turin, Italy.
Clinton and the southern half of Vermillion County are served by the South Vermillion Community School Corporation, which has three primary elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.[16]
Glendale Elementary and Matthew's South Elementary schools, which were both located in Clinton City limits, consolidated with Central Elementary in the mid-1980s. The school district's residents could fit into one main elementary school, but because of the rural area around Clinton the decision was made to group the students into three smaller schools.[citation needed]
Middle and high schools
The middle school and high school are both located north of the city, in an unincorporated area of the county.
Orville Lynn Majors, licensed practical nurse at the Vermillion County Hospital in Spencer; convicted in October 1999 of six counts of first-degree murder; the exact number is unknown and may be as high as 130; sentenced to 360 years in prison[20][21][22]
^Orville Lynn Majors v. State (Indiana) (Supreme Court of Indiana 14 August 2002), Text.
^Flowers, Ronald B.; Flowers, H.L. (2001). Murders in the United States: Crimes, Killers and Victims of the Twentieth Century. Jefferson NC: McFarland & Co. p. 100.
