Clinton was incorporated as a town by an act of theNew Jersey Legislature on April 5, 1865, within portions ofClinton,Franklin andUnion Townships. Clinton gained full independence from its three parent townships in 1895.[22]
The town is perhaps best known for its two mills which sit on opposite banks of theSouth Branch Raritan River. TheRed Mill, with its historic village, dates back to 1810 with the development of a mill for wool processing.[23] Across the river sits theStone Mill, home of theHunterdon Art Museum, located in a formergristmill that had been reconstructed in 1836 and operated continuously until 1952. In 1952, a group of local residents conceived of a plan to convert the historic building into an art museum, which is still in operation today.[24]
On October 30, 1891, a major fire destroyed 23 buildings and 17 businesses on Main Street. This is known here as the Great Fire of 1891.[25]
Described byThe New York Times in 1988 as having "conquered the worst residentialradon hotspot known in the United States" which resulted fromuranium in thelimestone under sections of the town, Clinton and mayor-at-the-time Robert A. Nulman received state, national, and international attention for the town's successful efforts to combat the radon using ventilation systems in affected homes.[26][27][28][29][30]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the town had a total area of 1.44 square miles (3.72 km2), including 1.35 square miles (3.49 km2) of land and 0.09 square miles (0.24 km2) of water (6.39%).[1][2]
Clinton is considered anexurb of New York City, as Hunterdon County lies on the western fringe of theNew York City Metropolitan Area, which is mainly rural with scattered housing developments and old farm homes. Clinton is part of the Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area of Middlesex, Somerset and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey.[35] It serves as abedroom community for many commuters working in and around Northern New Jersey and New York City, often younger residents who have supplanted long-time residents of Clinton.[36]
Clinton falls under theNorth Jersey climate zone. According to the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist atRutgers University, the Northern climate zone covers about one-quarter of New Jersey and consists mainly of elevated highlands and valleys which are part of theAppalachian Uplands. Surrounded by land, this region can be characterized as having acontinental climate with minimal influence from the Atlantic Ocean, except when the winds contain an easterly component. Prevailing winds are from the southwest in summer and from the northwest in winter. Being in the northernmost portion of the state, and with small mountains up to 1,800 feet (550 m) in elevation, the Northern Zone normally exhibits a colder temperature regime than other climate regions of the State of New Jersey. This difference is most dramatic in winter when average temperatures in the Northern Zone can be more than ten degrees Fahrenheit cooler than in the Coastal Zone. Annual snowfall averages 40 to 50 inches (100 to 130 cm) in the northern zone as compared with an average of 10 to 15 inches (25 to 38 cm) in the extreme south.[38]
Of the 1,057 households, 37.0% had children under the age of 18; 55.2% were married couples living together; 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 31.2% were non-families. Of all households, 25.4% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.14.[18]
26.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.8 males.[18]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010American Community Survey showed that (in 2010inflation-adjusted dollars)median household income was $83,850 (with a margin of error of +/− $12,019) and the median family income was $109,375 (+/− $19,698). Males had a median income of $62,697 (+/− $9,258) versus $67,014 (+/− $13,316) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $43,354 (+/− $4,395). About 2.6% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.[49]
As of the2000 United States census,[15] there were 2,632 people, 1,068 households, and 724 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,916.0 inhabitants per square mile (739.8/km2). There were 1,095 housing units at an average density of 797.1 per square mile (307.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 92.06%White, 1.33%African American, 0.46%Native American, 3.72%Asian, 1.37% fromother races, and 1.06% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 4.10% of the population.[47][48]
There were 1,068 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00.[47][48]
In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.[47][48]
The median income for a household in the town was $78,121, and the median income for a family was $88,671. Males had a median income of $61,442 versus $46,397 for females. The per capita income for the town was $37,463. About 0.4% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.6% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.[47][48]
TheRed Mill Museum Village is located on theSouth Branch of the Raritan River in the town center of Clinton. Built in 1810, theRed Mill originally served as a woolen mill. Over the next 100 years, the Mill was used at different times to process grains, plaster, talc and graphite. The Mill was also used to produce peach baskets, as well as to generate electricity and pump water for the town. Every October, the mill is transformed into a haunted house called the Red Mill Haunted Village. The Haunted Village tends to attract visitors from all over the east coast to the small town. The Red Mill Museum Village was featured on an episode ofGhost Hunters in 2008.[50]
TheHunterdon Art Museum presents changing exhibitions of contemporary art, craft and design in the 19th centuryDunham's Mill, the Stone Mill, listed in theNational Register of Historic Places. Founded in 1952, the Museum showcases works by internationally recognized and emerging contemporary artists. It also offers a dynamic schedule of over 300 art classes and workshops for children and adults, as well as a summer camp program.[24]
Landsdown Trail, a spur line constructed for theLehigh Valley Railroad in 1881 that is now a graded rail trail starting about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Clinton on Landsdown Road that enters Clinton town center near the lumber yard.[51]
Spruce Run Recreation Area (Van Syckel's Road, Clinton, NJ): 1,961 acres (7.94 km2), picnicking, boating, fishing and seasonal camping. Open year-round.[52]
Round Valley Recreation Area (Lebanon-Stanton Road, Lebanon, NJ) offers wilderness camping, beaches, trails, fishing and boating.[53]
The South Branch Raritan River offers opportunities to catch fish including trout and bass.[citation needed]
Clinton is governed under theTown form of municipal government. The town is one of nine municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this traditional form of government.[54] The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the six-member Town Council, all of whom are chosenat-large in partisan elections held as part of the November general election. The Mayor is electeddirectly by the voters to a four-year term of office. Members of the Town Council are elected to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.[6][55] The primary responsibilities of the council are to serve as the legislative body of the town, approve the annual budget presented by the Mayor, approve payment of bills and serve as Liaisons to several Boards and Committees.
As of 2024[update], the mayor of Clinton Town isDemocrat Janice Kovach, whose fourth term of office ends on December 31, 2027; she first took office as mayor in 2012.[56] Members of the Clinton Town Council are Nick Bruno (R, 2027), John Kashwick (D, 2026), Mary "Molly" Padmos (D, 2025), Kyle Perloff (R, 2027), Kim Stentz (D, 2026) and Ross Traphagen (R, 2025).[3][57][58][59][60][61][62]
Clinton Fire Department (CFD) is located on the corner of New Street / Old Route 22 in Clinton. About 15% of the department's calls annually involve actual fire, while the rest of the CFD's calls are roughly broken down to 15% motor vehicle accidents, 15% hazardous conditions, 5% service calls, 25% good intent calls with no fire found and 25% alarm activations/false alarms, averaging about 190 calls annually.[63] The department offers three types of membership to prospective members: Active firefighter, Junior firefighter and Associate membership. The department runs mutual aid calls with Annandale Hose Company, High Bridge Fire Department, Quakertown Fire Company, Lebanon Fire Company and Pattenburg Fire Company and other fire departments in Hunterdon Country, which work together as part of the North Hunterdon Fire Alliance.[64]
Hunterdon County is governed by aBoard of County Commissioners comprised of five members who are electedat-large on a partisan basis to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held each January, the commissioners select one member to serve as the board's Director and another to serve as Deputy Director, each for a one-year term.[70] As of 2025[update], Hunterdon County's Commissioners are Director John E. Lanza (R; Raritan Township, 2025),[71]Deputy Director Shaun C. Van Doren (R;Tewksbury Township, 2026),[72]Jeff Kuhl (R;Raritan Township, 2027),[73] Zachary T. Rich (R;West Amwell Township, 2025)[74] and Susan Soloway (R;Franklin Township, 2027).[75][76]
As of June 2023, there were a total of 2,283 registered voters in Clinton, of which 785 (34.4%) were registered as Democrats, 764 (33.5%) registered as Republicans, and 734 (32.2%) as unaffiliated or members of other parties.[83] This compares to March 2011, when there were a total of 1,671 registered voters in Clinton, of which 439 (26.3%) were registered asDemocrats, 529 (31.7%) were registered asRepublicans and 700 (41.9%) were registered asUnaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered asLibertarians orGreens.[84]
United States Gubernatorial election results for Clinton[85]
In the 2020 presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden received 959 votes (54%), Donald Trump received 774 votes (44%), and 41 votes going to others.[86] In the2012 presidential election, RepublicanMitt Romney received 52.0% of the vote (693 cast), ahead of DemocratBarack Obama with 46.7% (623 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (17 votes), among the 1,351 ballots cast by the town's 1,780 registered voters (18 ballots werespoiled), for a turnout of 75.9%.[87][88] In the2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 49.4% of the vote (704 cast), ahead of RepublicanJohn McCain with 48.7% (694 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (17 votes), among the 1,426 ballots cast by the town's 1,732 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.3%.[89] In the2004 presidential election, RepublicanGeorge W. Bush received 54.8% of the vote (761 ballots cast), outpolling DemocratJohn Kerry with 44.0% (611 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (12 votes), among the 1,389 ballots cast by the town's 1,671 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 83.1.[90]
United States presidential election results for Clinton[91]
In the2013 gubernatorial election, RepublicanChris Christie received 69.2% of the vote (577 cast), ahead of DemocratBarbara Buono with 28.1% (234 votes), and other candidates with 2.8% (23 votes), among the 840 ballots cast by the town's 1,757 registered voters (6 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 47.8%.[92][93] In the2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 60.5% of the vote (620 ballots cast), ahead of DemocratJon Corzine with 27.7% (284 votes), IndependentChris Daggett with 9.5% (97 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (7 votes), among the 1,025 ballots cast by the town's 1,711 registered voters, yielding a 59.9% turnout.[94]
United States Senate election results for Clinton1[95]
Clinton-Glen Gardner School District is school district based in the Town of Clinton, that serves students from Clinton Town andGlen Gardner Borough inpre-kindergarten througheighth grade at Clinton Public School.[97][98] Before Glen Gardner, a non-operating district, was consolidated into the district, students from the borough had attended the district's school as part of asending/receiving relationship. Other students attend the school on a tuition basis.[99] Formerly known as the Town of Clinton School District, the district's board of education voted in November 2009 to revise the name to Clinton-Glen Gardner School District to reflect the merger.[100] As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 427 students and 38.3 classroom teachers (on anFTE basis), for astudent–teacher ratio of 11.1:1.[101]
Eighth grade students from all of Hunterdon County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by theHunterdon County Vocational School District, a county-wide vocational school district that offers career and technical education at its campuses inRaritan Township and at programs sited at local high schools, with no tuition charged to students for attendance.[105]
As of July 2015[update], the town had a total of 12.21 miles (19.65 km) of roadways, of which 8.72 miles (14.03 km) were maintained by the municipality and 3.49 miles (5.62 km) by theNew Jersey Department of Transportation.[106]
The LINK, which serves Hunterdon County is the primary traditional publicly funded mode of transportation. Fares range from about $2.00 to $10.00. Funding for operation of theHunterdon County LINK System is provided by Hunterdon County,NJ Transit and theFederal Transit Administration.[115] Additionally, Warren County operates a shuttle along Route 31 Monday–Friday toOxford Township.[116]
^abMayor and Council, Town of Clinton. Accessed February 17, 2024. "The Clinton Town Council is composed of 6 Council members that are elected by the community. Council terms of office are three years and two Council seats are up for election each year."
^HistoryArchived November 9, 2019, at theWayback Machine, The Red Mill Museum. Accessed November 15, 2019. "Ralph Hunt built the earliest section of this Mill to process wool sometime around 1810. His wool business failed, however, thanks to a permanent downturn in the market for domestic cloth."
^Hanley, Robert."The Jersey Village That Fought Radon With Fans and Won",The New York Times, September 15, 1988. Accessed November 15, 2019. "Mayor Nulman cringes now while recalling TV and newspaper accounts in early 1986 that predicted mass evacuations and Clinton Knolls' reduction to a ghost town."
^Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1986. RetrievedJanuary 1, 2018.McMahon commended Clinton Town Mayor Robert Nulman for responding to the radon problem in several homes in his community by dealing with the public in an 'informational rather than inflammatory way'.
^EPA Journal. The Office. 1989. RetrievedJanuary 1, 2018.State officials relied a great deal on Clinton's mayor, Robert Nulman, because he understood the community's concerns. At public meetings Nulman provided an opportunity for "what had to be said," according to state official Donald Deieso, "and he fully supported everything we were saying." Nulman helped to keep public discussions focused on the facts. In turn, Nulman found his job easier because state officials...
^Sclafani, Tony."11:15 A.M.",Courier News, June 26, 2001. Accessed July 21, 2011. "Godown, 61, who just returned from a breakfast with Hunterdon County's police chiefs in Clinton, parks his cruiser beside the police department's door and steps inside the tiny, sparklingly clean headquarters.... It's very quiet Godown says about the borough where he's been chief for more than a decade He says many older residents have gone and been replaced by younger adults turning the 1squaremile town into more of a bedroom community."
^FLEMINGTON 5 NNW Weather station (2009)."Clinton, NJ Weather".Clinton, NJ Weather Data. Open Publishing. RetrievedDecember 1, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ONJSC, Rutgers University. Accessed December 1, 2009.
^Agricultural Research Center, PRISM Climate Group Oregon State University."USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map".USDA.Archived from the original on February 27, 2014. RetrievedFebruary 24, 2014.
^Raum, John O.The History of New Jersey: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Volume 1, p. 266, J. E. Potter and company, 1877. Accessed October 8, 2013. "Clinton township was formed from Lebanon in 1838. Its population in 1850 was 2,369; in 1860 including the village of Clinton 2,949; and in 1870, 3,134. This village was formerly called Hunt's Mills, from an early proprietor, in consequence of its valuable water power. It is beautifully diversified with hills, was incorporated as a borough in 1865, and contained in 1870, 785 inhabitants."
^Thomas, Hilary."Boo! Ghost hunters search for spirits at the Red Mill",Hunterdon Review, June 3, 2008. Accessed November 15, 2019. "Is the Red Mill haunted? Viewers will soon find out when the Red Mill, which is so often the focus of photographers and artists, will be in the national TV spotlight when it is featured on the SCI-FI Channel's "Ghost Hunter" series at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, June 11. Paranormal activity at the historic mill prompted a professional ghost-hunting team from TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) to visit the mill to check out the ghosts that so many claim to have encountered there."
^Landsdown Trail,Hunterdon County, New Jersey Department of Parks and Recreation. Accessed November 15, 2019. "Landsdown Trail. The Landsdown Trail is 1.5 miles long and stretches from Lower Landsdown Road to the center of the town of Clinton."
^Elected and Appointed Officials, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2025. "As top governing officials of Hunterdon County, the five Commissioners are chosen by popular vote in the November general elections. The term of office is for three years and the current compensation is $16,000 a year, with an extra $1,000 for the Director. One or two of the five members is elected each year."
^John E. Lanza, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2025.
^Shaun C. Van Doren, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2025.
^Jeff Kuhl, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2025.
^Zachary T. Rich, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2025.
^Susan Soloway, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 9, 2025.
^Clinton Town School 2013 Report Card Narrative,New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 8, 2016. "Clinton Public School is a pre-kindergarten through Grade Eight school located in the historic Town of Clinton in Hunterdon County. The school serves approximately 500 students from the Town of Clinton and the Borough of Glen Gardner."
^Letter dated November 30, 2009, Clinton Public School. Accessed May 23, 2013. "Previously named the Town of Clinton Board of Education and Town of Clinton School District, the passing of the by-law changed the names to be The Clinton-Glen Gardner Board of Education and The Clinton-Glen Gardner School District.... This change occurred as a result of the State government's June 30, 2009 passing of PL 2009 c. 78 which required the elimination of non-operating school districts and the creation of a merged district between the non-operating and receiving school."
^Heyboer, Kelly."How to get your kid a seat in one of N.J.'s hardest-to-get-into high schools", NJ Advance Media forNJ.com, May 2017. Accessed November 18, 2019. "Hunterdon County's vo-tech district has three academies for high-achieving students, all operating in partnerships with local high schools.... The academies are open to all students in the county. Students in the 8th grade are required to submit an application, schedule an interview and take a placement exam."
^Staff."Clinton a draw for filmmakers",New Jersey Hills, August 11, 2004. Accessed December 30, 2017. "It's one of the opening scenes fromTurbulence, a 1997 film where Ray Liotta is the serial murderer described above.... Other movies that were partly filmed in Clinton included One True Thing (1998), starring Meryl Streep who portrayed a family struggling to come together after their mother is diagnosed with cancer. Another film wasIn & Out (1997), a comedy starring Kevin Kline that used Clinton as the town where Kline's character is a high school English teacher."
^Slusher, Jon."Clinton Towne Restaurant celebrates 30th anniversary",Hunterdon Review, June 4, 2009. Accessed September 2, 2013. "Last year, the soap operaAs the World Turns filmed in downtown Clinton and used a section of the restaurant as an area for the actors to get dressed and put on their make-up."
^William Bonnell,National Gallery of Art. Accessed June 30, 2019. "William C. Bonnell, a Hunterdon County, New Jersey, portrait painter, was born on 1 February 1804 in the town of Clinton."
^Miller, Stuart."Weekend Special: A Music 'Gumbo'",The New York Times, July 7, 2002. Accessed December 4, 2017. "It may be echoing a national trend, but the Black Potatoe Fest retains a distinct New Jersey flavor. Ms. Vigoda went to Princeton University, and Groovelily's drummer, Gene Lewin, not only went to Princeton, he grew up there and currently lives in West New York. Mr. Cagno grew up in Clinton."
^Fusco, Mary Ann Castronovo."In Person; In Defense Of Columbus",The New York Times, October 8, 2000. Accessed June 30, 2019. "Mr. Connell, who was raised by parents of Irish, German, and Welsh descent in the Bronx and Westchester, has so enthusiastically embraced Italian culture that he reads fairy tales in Italian to his 16-month-old daughter, Zoe, at the Clinton home he shares with his wife, Nikki Shepardson, who teaches history at Rider University."
^Jordan, Chris."Let ItRain; Kyp Malone's solo project tackles some, tough issues",Courier News, February 4, 2011. Accessed June 29, 2018. "Speaking of returns, Malone is a frequent visitor to Hunterdon County, mostly Frenchtown these days. He spent his teen years in Clinton and graduated from North Hunterdon High School in 1991."
^About, BarbaraMcClintockBooks.com. Accessed October 16, 2017. "I was born and spent the first part of my growing up in Clinton, NJ."
^Staff."",Hunterdon County Democrat, December 13, 2012. Accessed June 30, 2019. "McGuire, an Ohio native, has lived in Clinton since 1994 with his wife, Jeannette Haviland-Jones, a professor of psychology at Rutgers."
^Pennington, Juliet."The VIP Lounge with Jessica Vosk",The Boston Globe, June 23, 2017. Accessed October 10, 2017. "The Clinton, N.J., native, now calls West New York, N.J., home. Vosk, 33, who plays Elphaba (the role made popular by Idina Menzel), said she is enjoying spending time in Boston, where her younger brother, musician Daniel Vosk, went to school."
United States
New Jersey
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