Why Clinton
Located in Hinds County within the Jackson metropolitan region, Clinton is one of Mississippi's major population centers. The city spans approximately 42 square miles, consisting almost entirely of land with a small amount of surface water. It is well connected by regional transportation networks, served by three primary routes: U.S. Route 80, Interstate 20, and the scenic Natchez Trace Parkway, which follows a historic travel route originally established as a Native American pathway.
Founded in 1823 under the name Mt. Salus, meaning "Mountain of Health," the settlement grew around Swafford's Spring and an early federal land office. It was officially renamed Clinton in 1828 in honor of DeWitt Clinton, the former New York governor who led the construction of the Erie Canal. By the 1830s, the city had become a major agricultural shipping hub via early rail lines, processing thousands of cotton bales each year. During the American Civil War, both Union and Confederate troops briefly occupied the city in 1863 prior to the Battle of Vicksburg. Later historical milestones include a violent election rally during Reconstruction in 1875, as well as World War II's Camp Clinton, a German prisoner-of-war facility where captured soldiers built a large-scale working model of the Mississippi River Basin for flood prevention research.
Clinton is widely recognized for its long academic tradition. It is home to Mississippi Christian University—originally chartered in 1826 as Hampstead Academy and historically called Mississippi College—which holds the distinction of being the oldest college in the state. The city's educational history also includes Hillman College and Mount Hermon Female Seminary, an early institution for African American women. Local athletic traditions center around regional teams such as the Clinton Arrows and the Mississippi College Choctaws, while domestic soccer matches featuring Mississippi Brilla are played at Traceway Park.
The city operates under a municipal government comprising a mayor and six ward aldermen alongside an at-large representative. Local education is administered through the Clinton Public School District, which runs facilities covering pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, while local reading materials and public resources are provided by the Quisenberry Library. Though the city's economic landscape has evolved past former automotive manufacturing and major corporate headquarters, large modern office complexes and established infrastructure continue to shape the local environment.
01 Weather
92°
75°
93°
68°
95°
73°
95°
76°
☔ 32% 
95°
75°
89°
75°