Editing Clinton, Vernon County, Wisconsin

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Clinton, Wisconsin
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Town of Clinton, Wisconsin.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Vernon County Wisconsin incorporated and unincorporated areas Clinton highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Vernon County, Wisconsin|Vernon County]] and the state of [[Wisconsin]].

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name = {{flag|United States}}
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1 ={{flag|Wisconsin}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Wisconsin|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Vernon County, Wisconsin|Vernon]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  =  Imperial
|area_footnotes           = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 93.0
|area_land_km2            = 92.9
|area_water_km2           = 0.0
|area_total_sq_mi         = 35.9
|area_land_sq_mi          = 35.9
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.0

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[United States Census, 2000|2000]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 1354
|population_density_km2   = 14.6
|population_density_sq_mi = 37.7

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|elevation_m              = 384
|elevation_ft             = 1260
|coordinates              = {{coord|43|39|58|N|90|44|40|W|region:US-WI|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = 
|postal_code              = 
|area_code                = [[Area code 608|608]]  
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 55-15675<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1582985<ref name="GR3" />
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Clinton''' is a town in [[Vernon County, Wisconsin|Vernon County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Wisconsin]]. The population was 1,354 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of [[Bloomingdale, Wisconsin|Bloomingdale]] is located partially within the town.

==History==
The town was originally named "Masterson".  It was created in March 1857 from the eastern half of the town of [[Christiana, Vernon County, Wisconsin|Christiana]].<ref>{{cite book|url= https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/wch/id/49021  |title= Memoirs of Vernon County, Wisconsin |editor-last= Rogers |editor-first= Earl M. |year= 1907 |publisher= Western Historical Company |page= [https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/wch/id/49240 230] |chapter= Town of Clinton |accessdate= June 17, 2022 |via= [[Wisconsin Historical Society]]}}</ref>  The name was changed to "Clinton" in the fall of that year, in honor of [[New York (state)|New York]] Governor [[DeWitt Clinton]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=188934|title=Profile for Clinton, Wisconsin|publisher=[[ePodunk]]|access-date=April 26, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104164913/http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=188934|archive-date=January 4, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 35.9&nbsp;square miles (93.0&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), of which, 35.9&nbsp;square&nbsp;miles (92.9&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of it is land and 0.03% is water.

==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,354 people, 313 households, and 271 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was 37.7 people per square mile (14.6/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 351 housing units at an average density of 9.8 per square mile (3.8/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 98.89% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.15% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.30% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.30% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.37% from two or more races, [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]], or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.26% of the population.

There were 313 households, out of which 53.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.1% were non-families. 11.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.33 and the average family size was 4.76.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 46.9% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 12.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 20 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.2 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,417, and the median income for a family was $26,625. Males had a median income of $25,526 versus $18,942 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $7,915. About 32.9% of families and 46.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 63.0% of those under age 18 and 16.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Beaver Controversy==
Recently a movement called "Save Taryn's Beaver" was launched to save a family of [[North American beaver|beavers]] on upper [[Weister Creek]]. The beaver is a [[keystone species]], increasing trout and bird biodiversity in its territory through creation of beaver ponds and wetlands.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Wright, J.P. |author2=Jones, C.G. |author3=Flecker, A.S.  |year=2002 |title=An ecosystem engineer, the beaver, increases species richness at the landscape scale |journal=Oecologia |volume=132 |issue=1 |pages=96–101 |doi=10.1007/s00442-002-0929-1 |pmid=28547281 }}</ref> Options to manage the problem include beaver relocation, killing or installation of [[Flow device]]s to regulate pond height. The town of Clinton, Wisconsin is holding hearings to decide the fate of the Weister Creek beavers on May 12, 2010.<ref>{{cite news |title=Concerns over beaver dam, damage to road flare in town of Clinton |author=Dorothy Jasperson-Robson |newspaper=Westby Times |date=May 7, 2010 |url=http://www.westbytimes.com/articles/2010/05/07/news/01lead.txt#blogcomments |access-date=May 10, 2010 }}</ref> At the first hearing, May 12, 70 citizens showed up and it was standing room only in a debate between those who wanted to protect the beavers versus those who feared further road damage or loss of pastureland to wetland. Bill Quackenbush, a representative of the Ho Chunk Tribal Nation, suggested that the Vernon County Board, which recently was awarded $1.2 million in funds from the Ho Chunk Nation to use on county projects, help defray the cost of installation of fencing and [[flow device]]s to lower the height of the beaver dam and protect Dell Road.<ref>{{cite news |title=Standing room only at Clinton beaver dam meeting |author=Dorothy Jasperson-Robson |newspaper=Westby Times |date=May 19, 2010 |url=http://www.westbytimes.com/articles/2010/05/19/news/02lead.txt |access-date=May 20, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ridgerunner Reports: Beaver support thriving communities |author=Jim Solberg |newspaper=Jackson County Chronicle |date=May 12, 2010 |url=http://www.jacksoncountychronicle.com/articles/2010/05/12/features/05rr.txt |access-date=May 20, 2010 }}</ref>  The next hearing will be May 26.

==See also==
* [[Driftless Area]]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Dell_United_Methodist_Church_2022May14_1141_a.m.jpg|Dell United Methodist Church in Dell, WI
Image:Dell_Cemetery_2022May14_1141_a.m.jpg|Dell Cemetery in Dell, WI
</gallery>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100527131625/http://www.co.vernon.wi.gov/municipalities/TownClinton.htm Information about the Town of Clinton]
* [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=101032109939235 Site for "Save Taryn's Beaver"]
* [http://www.couleeregiontu.org/ Coulee Region of ''Trout Unlimited'']
* [http://kvr.state.wi.us/ Kickapoo Valley Reserve]
* [http://www.martinezbeavers.org "Worth a Dam" (beaver information and educational site)]

{{Vernon County, Wisconsin}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Vernon County, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Towns in Wisconsin]]