When the first European settlers arrived in Clinton, then known as the Homonscitt Plantation, in May of 1663, the newcomers found Hammonassett and Mohegan Indians living in the harbor and river areas. For these natives, the canoe was their transportation, the rivers and harbors their roads. These rivers and harbors provided natives and settlers with a rich bounty of fish, oysters, and clams. Combined with their harvests of corn, beans, and squash, they knew they were in a good place. We honor and remember their legacy in the names of those life-giving rivers.

In May 1663, the Colonial Assembly had given a group of men the right to settle on this land between the Hammonassett and Menunketesuck rivers—32,000 acres between the New Haven Colony to the west and the Connecticut Colony to the east. They needed 30 initial settlers, and the assembly required them to make provisions for a church. Many of these early settlers bore names familiar to us today: Kelsey, Rossiter, Chatfield, Wilcox, Hull, Wellman, Carter, Parmalee, Stevens, and Wright. In 1667 the name of the settlement was changed to Kenilworth, and in 1838 the settlement separated into two sections, with the southern coastal portion choosing the name Clinton in honor of DeWitt Clinton, a popular New York politician.

Clinton Industry

For a settlement to succeed, it needed successful industry, and Clinton certainly had that. In addition to the bountiful fishing and agriculture afforded by Clinton’s ideal location, an important part of Clinton’s industrial history included shipbuilding on the Indian River. There were at least three successful shipyards, one right in the center of town and the others north and south of the Boston Post Road bridge. Other industries in the early days included grist and saw mills, iron works, and a brick yard. Fishing and agriculture remained a large part of Clinton’s economic development for many years. Today, Clinton’s economic community is still agricultural with Clinton Nurseries as its centerpiece, but it also boasts a significant retail presence with Clinton Crossings Premium Outlets drawing visitors from all over the Northeast.