Clinton sits in the heart of Big Stone County in western Minnesota — a quiet, tight-knit community of about 400 people. We’re the kind of place where neighbors look out for each other, the Memorial Building stays busy with events year-round, and the annual Arctic Open on Eli Lake brings the whole area together every February.

If you’re passing through, stop in for a small town feel you won’t forget. If you’re thinking about putting down roots, you’ll find affordable housing, safe streets, and a community that’s glad to have you.

Our History

Early Settlement

The village of Clinton was platted in 1885 and incorporated on August 22, 1890. Peter McCormick opened the first store in a building that J. M. Finney built at the corner of Main and First Street — the same building that later housed the Clinton Advocate before it was destroyed in the 1908 tornado.

The first general store doubled as the post office and a lumber yard. J. C. Jasperson built a second general store, and Olaf Erickson and A. E. Anderson established the Clinton Milling Co. in 1898. The National and Monarch were the first two grain elevators, and at one time there were six elevators in Clinton.

Commerce & Community

Dr. I.C.J. Wiig built the Samaritan Hospital in 1897 on the northwest corner of Main and First Streets. It burned in the early 1900s and was never replaced. J. N. Barton built the first residence, the first saloon, and the first brick building in Clinton in 1897.

Two hotels stood on Main Street just west of the depot before 1900. The Barton Hotel was a combination of two buildings, with the east half built by Henry Petrick in 1888. It was torn down in 1970 and replaced by a trailer court.

Gustave Erickson built a brick general store in 1897. The Country Kitchen was known for its “home cooking” for years. When the chain was incorporated, the local cafe became “The Kitchen” — and is now the home of the Inadvertent Cafe.

The Memorial Building

Members of the Campbell-Williams American Legion Post dedicated the Veteran’s Memorial Building on June 19, 1954. A community fund drive paid for the $70,000 construction in 1953–54 by Johnson Brothers of Beardsley. The building has served as Clinton’s community center ever since.

Source: Big Stone County Historical Society, from the Big Stone County, Minnesota 1881–1981 Book.