Clinton, Kentucky

Clinton, the seat of Hickman county, is located near the center of the county. It was established in 1828 and became the county seat in 1829, replacing Columbus. The source of the name is obscure, but it may be named for a Captain Clinton. The city economy and population were boosted by the arrival of the railroad in 1873.

Clinton was incorporated in 1831.

The Clinton post office opened in 1829.

The population in 2020 was 1,284.

Clinton was the home of several schools in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Clinton Seminary (a high school) opened in 1846, Clinton Academy in 1850, Clinton College operated from 1873 to 1913, Marvin College from 1884 to 1922, and West Kentucky Baptist Bible Institute from 1949 to 1957, when it moved to Mayfield. Alben Barkley, who served in the United States House, Senate, and as Vice President, graduated from Marvin College in 1897.

MORE INFORMATION

• Clinton, City of
• Clinton-Hickman County Chamber of Commerce
• Hickman County Fiscal Court
• Hickman County Schools

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© 2025 David C. Elbon