Clinton, New Jersey

See also: Clinton Township, New Jersey

Clinton
—  Town  —
Town of Clinton
The Historic Red Mill of Clinton
Map of Clinton in Hunterdon County. Inset: Location of Hunterdon County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Clinton, New Jersey
Coordinates: 40°38′07″N 74°54′43″W / 40.63528°N 74.91194°W / 40.63528; -74.91194Coordinates: 40°38′07″N 74°54′43″W / 40.63528°N 74.91194°W / 40.63528; -74.91194
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Hunterdon
Incorporated	April 5, 1865
Government[1]
- Type	Town (New Jersey)
- Mayor	Richard F. Miller (2011)[2]
Area
- Total	1.4 sq mi (3.7 km2)
- Land	1.4 sq mi (3.6 km2)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation[3]	180 ft (55 m)
Population (2010 Census)[4]
- Total	2,719
- Density	1,942.1/sq mi (734.9/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	08809
Area code(s)	908
FIPS code	34-13720[5][6]
GNIS feature ID	0885189[7]
Website	www.clintonnj.gov

Clinton is a Town in Hunterdon County, New Jersey on the South Branch of the Raritan River. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 2,719.

When the Clinton post office was established in 1829, the town was named for DeWitt Clinton, Governor of New York and the primary impetus behind the then-newly completed Erie Canal.^[8]

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.^[9]

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.^[10] Across the river sits the Stone Mill, home of the Hunterdon Art Museum for Contemporary Craft and Design, located in a former gristmill that had been reconstructed in 1836 and operated continuously until 1952, when a group of local residents conceived of a plan to convert the historic building into a museum.^[11]

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1930	21		—
1940	1,066		4,976.2%
1950	1,118		4.9%
1960	1,158		3.6%
1970	1,742		50.4%
1980	1,910		9.6%
1990	2,054		7.5%
2000	2,632		28.1%
2010	2,719		3.3%
Population sources 1930 - 1990[12] 2000[13] 2010[4]

As of the census^[5] of 2000, there were 2,632 people, 1,068 households, and 724 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,916.0 people per square mile (741.8/km²). There were 1,095 housing units at an average density of 797.1 per square mile (308.6/km²). 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.^[13]

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.^[13]

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.^[13]

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.^[13]

Transportation

The Town of Clinton is situated off New Jersey Route 31, which is in turn off of Interstate 78 via Exit 17. Near immediate access to Interstate 78 provides Clinton with a convenient route to and from New York City, New York. Interstate 78 also allows those living in Clinton easy access to the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia can also be easily accessed from Clinton via NJ Route 31 to Interstate 95 South.

Public transportation is very limited. The LINK, which serves Hunterdon County is the only tradtional, publically-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, New Jersey Transit and the Federal Transit Administration.^[14]

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.^[15] NJ Transit Rail is also accessible, although limited, at the Annandale station on the Raritan Valley Line.^[16]

Geography

Clinton is located at 40°38′10″N 74°54′40″W / 40.636142°N 74.911016°W / 40.636142; -74.911016 (40.636142, -74.911016).^[17]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), of which, 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km²) of it (2.82%) is water.

Clinton borders Clinton Township, Franklin Township, and Union Township.

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.^[18]

Clinton 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.^[19]

Climate

Climate data for Clinton, NJ
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °F (°C)	36.8 (2.7)	39.9 (4.4)	49.8 (9.9)	61.3 (16.3)	72.0 (22.2)	80.2 (26.8)	85.1 (29.5)	83.1 (28.4)	75.6 (24.2)	64.4 (18.0)	52.8 (11.6)	41.6 (5.3)	61.9
Average low °F (°C)	18.4 (−7.6)	20.0 (−6.7)	28.1 (−2.2)	37.0 (2.8)	46.9 (8.3)	56.0 (13.3)	61.7 (16.5)	59.9 (15.5)	52.0 (11.1)	40.0 (4.4)	32.2 (0.1)	24.0 (−4.4)	39.7
Source: <Flemington 5 NNW Weather Station= >FLEMINGTON 5 NNW Weather station (2009). "Clinton, NJ Weather". Clinton, NJ Weather Data. Open Publishing. http://www.idcide.com/weather/nj/clinton.htm. Retrieved 1 December 2009.

Clinton falls under the 'Northern New 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 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 (1,300 mm) in the northern zone as compared with an average of 10-15 inches in the extreme south.^[20]

Government

Local government

Clinton is governed under the Town form of government with a mayor and a six-member Town Council. The Mayor is directly elected 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.^[1] 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 2011^[update], the Mayor of Clinton Town is Richard F. Miller, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2011.^[2] Members of the Clinton Town Council are Richard Duffy (2013), Laurie Insel (2012), Martin Pendergast (2011), Daniel Shea (2012), Robert Smith (2013) and Maria Valenta (2011).^[21][22]

Mayor Christine Schaumburg resigned effective June 3, 2011, in order to take a position with a non-profit based in Wayne, New Jersey.^[23] On June 14, Richard Miller was chosen from among three potential candidates.^[24]

Federal, state and county representation

Clinton Town is in the 7th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district.^[25] The legislative district was kept unchanged by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission based on the results of the 2010 Census.^[4]

New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is represented by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

23rd Legislative District (New Jersey) of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Michael J. Doherty (R, Oxford Township) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by John DiMaio (R, Hackettstown) and Erik Peterson (R, Franklin Township).^[26] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).^[27] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).^[28]

Hunterdon County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who serve three-year terms of office at-large, with either one or two seats up for election each year on a staggered basis.^[29] As of 2011, Hunterdon County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Matt Holt (Clinton Town), Freeholder Deputy Director Robert Walton (Hampton), William Mennen (Tewksbury Township),George B. Melick (Tewksbury Township), and Ronald Sworen (Frenchtown).^[30]

Education

Clinton Public School is a PreK-8 school district in the Town of Clinton. The district currently serves students from the Town of Clinton and the Borough of Glen Gardner, who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship, along with other tuition-paying students.^[31] As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 524 students.^[32] Richard S. Katz is the superintendent / principal.^[33]

Students in public school for grades 9 through 12 attend North Hunterdon High School in Annandale as part of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. North Hunterdon High School serves Clinton, as well as students from Bethlehem Township, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Lebanon Borough and Union Township.^[34]

Economy

The construction company Foster Wheeler has its operational headquarters in Clinton.

Community organizations

Clinton Fire Department (Volunteer)

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.^[35] The department offers three types of membership namely Active firefighter, Junior firefighter and Associate membership to prospective members. 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 have become an invaluable resource for large incidents.^[36]

Tourism and Points of Interest

• The Red Mill 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 given the title, the Haunted Mill. The Haunted Mill tends to attract visitors from all over the east coast to the small town. The Red Mill was featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters in 2008.^[37]
• The Hunterdon Art Museum (7 Lower Center Street) is located in a mill established in 1836, and offers exhibitions of contemporary art, craft and design, docent tours and over 200 education programs for adults and children.^[11]
• Landsdown Trail, a spur line constructed for the Lehigh Valley Railroad in 1881 that is now a graded rail trail starting about two miles (3 km) south of Clinton on Landsdown Road that enters Clinton town center near the lumber yard.^[38]
• 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.^[39]
• Round Valley Recreation Area (Lebanon-Stanton Road, Lebanon, NJ): wilderness camping, beaches, trails, fishing and boating.
• The State of New Jersey's Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women is located near Clinton, next to the Hunterdon Developmental Center in Union Township.

Popular culture references

• The town was featured on The Daily Show, which interviewed a local resident who was campaigning to have the town's name changed to Reagan after the Republican President of the United States Ronald Reagan, during the Clinton Administration.
• 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.
• CBS-TV daytime drama As The World Turns taped scenes at businesses along Main Street and Delaware Valley Regional High School in 2008 and 2009.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Clinton include:

• John T. Bird (1829–1911), represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district from 1869 to 1873.^[40]
• James Valenti (born 1977), operatic tenor.^[41]

Gallery

• 

  Bridge in Clinton, NJ looking at Red Mill

• 

  Raritan river running through Clinton, New Jersey

• 

  Bridge of Clinton, NJ

• 

  Main Street of Clinton, New Jersey

• 

  Shops fronts along Main Street, Clinton, NJ

• 

  Library of Clinton, NJ

• 

  Clinton House Restaurant

• 

  Nice alley in Clinton, NJ

• 

  Tall building in Clinton, NJ

External links

• Clinton Town website
• Town information from Hunterdon County web site
• Clinton Public School website
• Clinton Public School's 2009–10 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
• Clinton Public School, National Center for Education Statistics
• North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District
• Clinton Fire Department
• Clinton Guild website
• Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance

References

1. ^ ^{a b} 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 103.
2. ^ ^{a b} Mayor, Town of Clinton. Accessed July 21, 2011.
3. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Town of Clinton, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.
4. ^ ^{a b c} 2011 Apportionment Redistricting: Municipalities sorted alphabetically, New Jersey Department of State, p. 2. Accessed July 21, 2011.
5. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
6. ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
7. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
8. ^ Town information from Hunterdon County web site. Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed April 6, 2007.
9. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 154
10. ^ The Red Mill: A Spin of the Wheel, The Red Mill Museum. Accessed July 21, 2011.
11. ^ ^{a b} About the Museum, Hunterdon Art Museum. Accessed July 21, 2011.
12. ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 2, 2009. Accessed July 6, 2011.
13. ^ ^{a b c d e} Census 2000 Demographic Profile Highlights: Clinto town, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 21, 2011.
14. ^ LINK Hunterdon County Transportation, Hunterdon County Transportation. Accessed December 1, 2009.
15. ^ Schedule From Allentown/Easton/NJ to New York, Trans-Bridge Lines. Accessed July 21, 2011.
16. ^ Hunterdon County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit, backed up by the [[Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed July 21, 2011.
17. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
18. ^ [1]. Clinton, New Jersey. Accessed December 1, 2009.
19. ^ 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."
20. ^ ONJSC, Rutgers University. Accessed December 1, 2009.
21. ^ Town Council, Town of Clinton. Accessed July 21, 2011.
22. ^ O'Brien, Walter. "Clinton Town swears in two councilmen; appoints professionals", Asbury Park Press, January 6, 2011. Accessed March 13, 2011. "Incumbent Republican Councilman Richard Duffy and Republican Robert Smith, returning to council for the first time since 2003, were sworn in Tuesday to the six-member town council for three-year terms. Duffy first joined the council in March 2008 replacing John Harrison, who passed away in February 2008. Former Councilman Todd Pender did not run for re-election."
23. ^ Mustac, Frank. "Christine Schaumburg resigns post as Clinton Town mayor", Hunterdon County Democrat, June 3, 2011. Accessed July 21, 2011. "Mayor Christine Schaumburg has announced her resignation effective today, Friday, June 3. She is leaving her current post during what is her second term as head of town government to take a position as director of development for a Wayne-based cancer advocacy non-profit called the Life Raft Group."
24. ^ Grosso, Alissa. "Richard Miller chosen interim mayor of Clinton due to Christine Schaumburg resigning", Hunterdon County Democrat, June 15, 2011. Accessed July 21, 2011. "Richard Miller was chosen as the interim mayor at the Tuesday, June 14 council meeting. The appointment followed the interview of three candidates selected by the municipal Democratic Committee."
25. ^ 2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 56. Accessed July 21, 2011.
26. ^ "Legislative Roster: 2010-2011 Session". New Jersey Legislature. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp. Retrieved 2010-07-25. 
27. ^ "About the Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/about/. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 
28. ^ "About the Lieutenant Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/lt/. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 
29. ^ About the Board, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 5, 2011.
30. ^ Hunterdon County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed February 9, 2011.
31. ^ Clinton Township School 2006 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 21, 2011. "Clinton Public School is a Pre-Kindergarten through Grade Eight elementary school located in the historic Town of Clinton in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The school serves approximately 510 students from the Town of Clinton and the Borough of Glen Gardner."
32. ^ Clinton Public School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed July 21, 2011.
33. ^ Our School > Superintendent/Principal's Page, Clinton Public School. Accessed July 21, 2011.
34. ^ About the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District, North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. Accessed July 21, 2011. "North Hunterdon High School educates students from: Bethlehem Township, Clinton Town, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Lebanon Borough, Union Township"
35. ^ Home page, Clinton Fire Department. Accessed July 21, 2011.
36. ^ Mutual Aid, Clinton Fire Department. Accessed July 21, 2011.
37. ^ About the Museum Village, The Red Mill. Accessed December 2, 2006.
38. ^ Landsdown Trail, Hunterdon County, New Jersey Department of Parks and Recreation. Accessed July 21, 2011.
39. ^ Spruce Run Recreation Area, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed July 21, 2011.
40. ^ John Taylor Bird, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 17, 2007.
41. ^ 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.)"