Clinton, Michigan
Published March 2010
The Village of Clinton, Michigan is located in Lenawee County on U.S. Rt. 12 – one of the oldest and well-traveled transportation corridors east of the Mississippi River.
Early settlers who came from New York via the Erie Canal named the community in honor of DeWitt Clinton, the governor of their native state. First settled in 1829, Clinton became an important center of trade because of its location on the Chicago Road at the River Raisin. Clinton incorporated in 1837, the same year Michigan became a state.
One the main village landmarks is the Clinton Inn located on the northwest corner of U.S. Rt. 12 and Jackson Road. Built in 1900, it is the only hotel still in operation in Clinton. The village built its Electric Light Plant in 1893.
Last year, Clinton had the distinction of being awarded for having the highest credit score of all AMP member communities with a population under 5,000.
The Village of Clinton Electric Department has two substations and serves over 1,300 meters.
Residents will see a reduction in their electric rates this year. According to Village Manager Kevin Cornish, “despite the fact that the state of Michigan is experiencing difficult economic times, the Village of Clinton is looking to significantly reduce electric rates in November when the debt service is retired for the Endicott Generating Station.” Endicott is a 55 megawatt (MW) coal-fired power facility.
Clinton is the birthplace of Wirt Rowland, a 1920s architect instrumental in shaping Downtown Detroit. He is best known for designing the Buehl, Penobscot and Guardian buildings, structures that define the Detroit Skyline to this day.