Clinton, New Jersey

Clinton is a town in Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located on the South Branch of the Raritan River in the Raritan Valley region. As of the 2020 United States census, the town's population was 2,773,<ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 54 (+2.0%) from the 2010 census count of 2,719,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 87 (+3.3%) from the 2,632 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref> Despite its relatively small population, Clinton is the predominant control city for Interstate 78 traveling westbound from Newark.

History

When the Clinton post office was established in 1829, it was named for DeWitt Clinton, Governor of New York and the primary impetus behind the then-newly completed Erie Canal.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 28, 2015.</ref>

Clinton was incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 5, 1865, within portions of Clinton, Franklin and Union Townships. Clinton gained full independence from its three parent townships in 1895.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 154. Accessed October 25, 2012.</ref>

The town is perhaps best known for its two mills which sit on opposite banks of the South Branch Raritan River. The Red Mill, with its historic village, dates back to 1810 with the development of a mill for wool processing.<ref>History Template:Webarchive, 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."</ref> Across the river sits the Stone Mill, home of the Hunterdon Art Museum, located in a former gristmill 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.<ref name=ham>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name="nrhpdoc"/>

Described by The New York Times in 1988 as having "conquered the worst residential radon hotspot known in the United States" which resulted from uranium in the limestone 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.<ref name="Klaidman1991">Klaidman, Steve. Health in the Headlines: The Stories Behind the Stories, Oxford University Press, 1991. Template:ISBN. Accessed November 15, 2019. "Clinton's public officials were aware of the extraordinary radon levels found in the Watras house in nearby Pennsylvania."</ref><ref name=NYT19880915>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."</ref><ref name=CongRec1986>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=EPAJournal> Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="EdelsteinMakofske1998"> Template:Cite book</ref>

The Clinton Historic District encompassing much of the town was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 for its significance in architecture, commerce, engineering, industry and exploration/settlement. The district includes 270 contributing buildings.<ref name="nrhpdoc">Template:Cite web With Template:NRHP url</ref>

In 1998, Republican Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll proposed to honor former president Ronald Reagan by changing the town's name to Reagan, New Jersey, and renaming Clinton Township to Reagan Township.<ref>"Clinton, N.J., Becomes Subject Of Idol Curiosity Republican Lawman Suggests The Town Change Its Name To Reagan. But He Admits An April Fool's Day Announcement Would Have Been Better Timing For His Joke.", The Morning Call, March 15, 1998. Accessed March 27, 2024.</ref>

Geography

According to the U.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%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

The town borders the Hunterdon County municipalities of Clinton Township, Franklin Township and Union Township.<ref>Areas Touching Clinton, MapIt. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref><ref>Map of County Municipalities, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed July 30, 2023.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>

Clinton is considered an exurb of New York City, as Hunterdon County lies on the western fringe of the New 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.<ref>Metropolitan Areas And Components, 1999, With FIPS Codes, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 14, 2012.</ref> It serves as a bedroom 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.<ref>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."</ref>

Climate

Template:Weather box Clinton falls under the North Jersey climate zone. According to the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist at Rutgers University, the Northern climate zone covers about one-quarter of New Jersey and consists mainly of elevated highlands and valleys which are part of the Appalachian Uplands. Surrounded by land, this region can be characterized as having a continental 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 Template:Convert 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 Template:Convert in the northern zone as compared with an average of Template:Convert in the extreme south.<ref>ONJSC, Rutgers University. Accessed December 1, 2009.</ref>

Clinton falls under the USDA 6b Plant Hardiness zone.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 2,719 people, 1,057 households, and 727 families in the town. The population density was 2,032.6 per square mile (784.8/km²). There were 1,098 housing units at an average density of 820.8 per square mile (316.9/km²). The racial makeup was 89.52% (2,434) White, 1.32% (36) Black or African American, 0.22% (6) Native American, 6.66% (181) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.63% (17) from other races, and 1.66% (45) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.22% (169) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

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.<ref name=Census2010/>

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.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-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.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Clinton town, Hunterdon County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 14, 2012.</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census,<ref name="GR2" /> there were 2,632 people, 1,068 households, and 724 families residing in the town. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 1,095 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the town was 92.06% White, 1.33% African American, 0.46% Native American, 3.72% Asian, 1.37% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.10% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Clinton town, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 14, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Clinton town, Hunterdon County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 14, 2012.</ref>

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.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

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.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

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.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Arts and culture

The Red Mill Museum Village is located on the South Branch of the Raritan River in the town center of Clinton. Built in 1810, the Red 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 of Ghost Hunters in 2008.<ref>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."</ref>

The Hunterdon Art Museum presents changing exhibitions of contemporary art, craft and design in the 19th century Dunham's Mill, the Stone Mill, listed in the National 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.<ref name=ham/>

• The Red Mill
  The Red Mill
• Hunterdon Art Museum in Dunham's Mill
  Hunterdon Art Museum in Dunham's Mill

Parks and recreation

• Landsdown Trail, a spur line constructed for the Lehigh Valley Railroad in 1881 that is now a graded rail trail starting about Template:Convert south of Clinton on Landsdown Road that enters Clinton town center near the lumber yard.<ref>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."</ref>
• Spruce Run Recreation Area (Van Syckel's Road, Clinton, NJ): Template:Convert, picnicking, boating, fishing and seasonal camping. Open year-round.<ref>Spruce Run Recreation Area, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed July 21, 2011.</ref>
• Round Valley Recreation Area (Lebanon-Stanton Road, Lebanon, NJ) offers wilderness camping, beaches, trails, fishing and boating.<ref>Round Valley Recreation Area, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Parks and Forestry. Accessed November 14, 2012.</ref>

Government

File:Clinton, NJ town hall, July 2023.jpg

Clinton Municipal Building

Local government

Clinton is governed under the Town form of municipal government. The town is one of nine municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this traditional form of government.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the six-member Town Council, all of whom are chosen at-large in partisan elections held as part of the November general election. The Mayor is elected directly 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.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 103.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 5. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> 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.

Template:As of, the mayor of Clinton Town is Democrat Janice Kovach, whose fourth term of office ends on December 31, 2027; she first took office as mayor in 2012.<ref>Kiriluk-Hill, Renée. "New Clinton Mayor Janice Kovach is sworn in by state Sen. Barbara Buono", Hunterdon County Democrat, January 4, 2012. Accessed September 14, 2013. "Janice Kovach, a Democrat, was sworn into a four-year term as mayor at a standing-room-only Town Council reorganization meeting on Monday, Jan. 2."</ref> 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).<ref name=MayorCouncil>Mayor 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."</ref><ref>2023 Municipal Data Sheet, Town of Clinton. Accessed June 23, 2022.</ref><ref name=HunterdonPage>Town of Clinton, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed February 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=HunterdonDirectory>2023 County and Municipal Directory, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed February 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=Hunterdon2023>2023 Official Statement of Results General Election November 7, 2023, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, November 17, 2023. Accessed February 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=Hunterdon2022>Hunterdon County District Canvass November 8, 2022, General Election, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, updated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Hunterdon2021>November 2, 2021 District Report Hunterdon County Official Results, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, updated November 12, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

Fire department

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.<ref>Home page, Clinton Fire Department. Accessed July 21, 2011.</ref> 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.<ref>North Hunterdon Fire Alliance, Clinton Fire Department. Accessed September 2, 2020.</ref>

Federal, state and county representation

Clinton Town is located in the 7th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 16th state legislative district.<ref>Districts by Number for 2023-2031, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed September 18, 2023.</ref>

Politics

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.<ref>Summary Results Report Official Results June 6, 2023 Primary Election, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, June 15, 2023. Accessed March 13, 2024.</ref> This compares to March 2011, when there were a total of 1,671 registered voters in Clinton, of which 439 (26.3%) were registered as Democrats, 529 (31.7%) were registered as Republicans and 700 (41.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref>Voter Registration Summary – Hunterdon, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 14, 2012.</ref>

In the 2020 presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden received 959 votes (54%), Donald Trump received 774 votes (44%), and 41 votes going to others.<ref>November 3, 2020 District Report, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, November 20, 2020. Accessed March 13, 2024.</ref> In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 52.0% of the vote (693 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack 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 were spoiled), for a turnout of 75.9%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 49.4% of the vote (704 cast), ahead of Republican John 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%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Hunterdon County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 14, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 54.8% of the vote (761 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John 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.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Hunterdon County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 14, 2012.</ref>

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In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 69.2% of the vote (577 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara 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%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 60.5% of the vote (620 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 27.7% (284 votes), Independent Chris 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.<ref>2009 Governor: Hunterdon County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 14, 2012.</ref>

Education

Clinton-Glen Gardner School District is school district based in the Town of Clinton, that serves students from Clinton Town and Glen Gardner Borough in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Clinton Public School.<ref>2022-2023 Public School Directory, Hunterdon County Department of Education. Accessed July 31, 2023.</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Clinton-Glen Gardner School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 31, 2023.</ref> 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 a sending/receiving relationship. Other students attend the school on a tuition basis.<ref>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."</ref> 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.<ref>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."</ref> 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 an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.1:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Clinton-Glen Gardner School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.</ref>

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades have two choices: North Hunterdon High School or Voorhees High School, both of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Clinton residents began to select which high school they wished to attend in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Pre-2014, Clinton Town students were zoned to North Hunterdon High.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Eighth grade students from all of Hunterdon County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Hunterdon County Vocational School District, a county-wide vocational school district that offers career and technical education at its campuses in Raritan Township and at programs sited at local high schools, with no tuition charged to students for attendance.<ref>Heyboer, Kelly. "How to get your kid a seat in one of N.J.'s hardest-to-get-into high schools", NJ Advance Media for NJ.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."</ref>

Transportation

Roads and highways

File:2020-07-09 09 51 25 View west along Interstate 78 and U.S. Route 22 (Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway) at Exit 15 (New Jersey State Route 173 EAST, Clinton, Pittstown) in Clinton, Hunterdon County, New Jersey.jpg

Interstate 78/U.S. Route 22 westbound at the Route 173 exit in Clinton

Template:As of, the town had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Hunterdon County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, July 2015. Accessed November 25, 2015.</ref>

Several roadways pass through the town.<ref>Hunterdon County Highway Map, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed March 2, 2023.</ref> The most major road passing through Clinton is Interstate 78/U.S. Route 22, which run concurrently through the area.<ref>Interstate 78 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated March 2016. Accessed March 2, 2023.</ref> Direct access is provided by New Jersey Route 31 at Exit 17<ref>Route 31 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2017. Accessed March 2, 2023.</ref> and at Exit 15 for Route 173<ref>Route 173 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2018. Accessed March 2, 2023.</ref> and County Road 513.<ref>County Route 513 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated November 2012. Accessed March 1, 2023.</ref> Route 173 and CR 513 run through the center of town, while Route 31 skims the northeast edge. Access to Interstate 78 provides Clinton with a route to and from New York City and the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia can also be accessed from Clinton via New Jersey Route 31 to Interstate 295 south.

Public transportation

Trans-Bridge Lines offers buses on a route that provides service from Allentown and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan and New York City-area airports at a stop at the park-and-ride on Route 31 in Clinton.<ref>Schedule From Allentown/Easton/NJ to New York Template:Webarchive, Trans-Bridge Lines. Accessed July 21, 2011.</ref> Limited NJ Transit Rail is also accessible at the Annandale station on the Raritan Valley Line.<ref>Hunterdon County Bus/Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed July 21, 2011.</ref><ref>Raritan Valley Line Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed October 8, 2013.</ref>

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 the Hunterdon County LINK System is provided by Hunterdon County, NJ Transit and the Federal Transit Administration.<ref>LINK Hunterdon County Transportation, Hunterdon County Transportation. Accessed December 1, 2009.</ref> Additionally, Warren County operates a shuttle along Route 31 Monday–Friday to Oxford Township.<ref>31 Ride, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed December 30, 2017.</ref>

References in popular culture

In film

• Several movies have used the town as a backdrop, including In and Out with Kevin Kline, One True Thing with Renée Zellweger and Meryl Streep, My Giant with Billy Crystal, and Turbulence with Ray Liotta.<ref>Staff. "Clinton a draw for filmmakers", New Jersey Hills, August 11, 2004. Accessed December 30, 2017. "It'’s one of the opening scenes from Turbulence, 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 was “In & Out” (1997), a comedy starring Kevin Kline that used Clinton as the town where Kline’'s character is a high school English teacher."</ref> A music video for Sharon Van Etten's single "Seventeen" was partially filmed in the town, as well as at nearby Round Valley Reservoir.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

In television

• The CBS-TV daytime drama As the World Turns taped scenes at businesses along Main Street in 2008 and 2009.<ref>Slusher, Jon. "Clinton Towne Restaurant celebrates 30th anniversary", Hunterdon Review, June 4, 2009. Accessed September 2, 2013. "Last year, the soap opera As 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."</ref>

Notable people

Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Clinton include:

• John T. Bird (1829–1911), represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district from 1869 to 1873<ref>John Taylor Bird, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 17, 2007.</ref>
• William Bonnell (1804–1865), portrait painter whose works are generally placed in the folk art category<ref>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."</ref>
• Gregg Cagno (born 1969), songwriter and touring performer in the singer-songwriter and folk genres<ref>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."</ref>
• Anna Case (1888–1984), soprano who recorded with Thomas Edison<ref>Anna Case House – 15 East Main Street Template:Webarchive, Town of Clinton. accessed July 13, 2018. "Anna Case, who became an outstanding opera singer was born at 15 East Main Street, on October 29, 1889."</ref>
• William J. Connell (born 1958), historian<ref>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."</ref>
• Kyp Malone (born 1973), multi-instrumentalist and member of the band TV on the Radio<ref>Jordan, Chris. "Let It Rain; 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."</ref>
• Barbara McClintock (born 1955), children's book illustrator and author<ref>About, BarbaraMcClintockBooks.com. Accessed October 16, 2017. "I was born and spent the first part of my growing up in Clinton, NJ."</ref>
• Terry R. McGuire, former professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Genetics at Rutgers University<ref>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."</ref>
• Kyle Merber (born 1990), middle-distance runner specializing in the mile and the 1500 meters<ref>Staff. "For Kyle Merber, it’s all about running and promoting the sport he loves", USA Track & Field, May 16, 2016. Accessed June 30, 2019. "A 25-year-old resident of Clinton, New Jersey, Merber is recognized as a talented runner specializing in the mile and 1500 meters, whose love affair with track and field began years ago."</ref>
• James Valenti (born 1977), operatic tenor<ref>Reich, Ronni. "NJ tenor James Valenti sings at the Richard Tucker Gala", The Star-Ledger, November 15, 2010. Accessed February 18, 2011. "Originally from Summit, Valenti grew up primarily in Clinton. (He now lives in Palm Beach, Fla.)"</ref>
• Sharon Van Etten (born 1981), singer-songwriter<ref>Proctor, Owen. "Nutley native Sharon Van Etten releases third album, gets national attention", The Nutley Sun, July 9, 2012. Accessed June 19, 2014. "Like her parents, the Nutley community was supportive of her early music education, she said. Her family later moved to Clinton."</ref>
• Foster McGowan Voorhees (1856–1927), Governor of New Jersey from 1899 to 1902<ref>New Jersey Governor Foster McGowan Voorhees, National Governors Association. Accessed August 27, 2013.</ref>
• Jessica Vosk (born 1983), Broadway actress who starred as Elphaba in the Broadway production of Wicked<ref>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."</ref><ref>Gioia, Michael. "How This Broadway Actress Conquered the Worlds of Wall Street, Wicked and Real Estate", People, October 29, 2021. Accessed September 11, 2022.</ref>

Gallery

• Main Street Bridge crossing the South Branch Raritan River
  Main Street Bridge crossing the South Branch Raritan River
• John Taylor Leigh Mansion, now the Municipal Building
  John Taylor Leigh Mansion, now the Municipal Building
• Duckworth Building and Odd Fellows Hall on Main Street, redeveloped after the Great Fire of 1891.
  Duckworth Building and Odd Fellows Hall on Main Street, redeveloped after the Great Fire of 1891.
• North Branch County Library at 65 Halstead Street. It was built in 1999.
  North Branch County Library at 65 Halstead Street. It was built in 1999.
• Alley named Allie's Way after a local teacher at Clinton Public School.
  Alley named Allie's Way after a local teacher at Clinton Public School.

External links

• Clinton Town website
• Town information from Hunterdon County web site