Clinton: Discover History and Nature

When planning a stay in Clinton, you can focus on two areas: the history of Olde Towne and the nature trails at the Clinton Community Nature Center. If you’re looking for a hotel in Clinton, this distinction can help you decide on the focus of your trip. Historic streets and exhibits offer a different experience from hiking trails through hardwood forests.

Olde Towne and Clinton’s Development

The Olde Towne Clinton Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 12, 2017. It represents the development of the historic center from village to later settlement to present-day city. This development spans the 1840s through the early 1960s and followed the original street grid, which was surveyed and documented in 1829. The district thus connects a long period of history with a specific reference to the street layout.

Olde Towne is a pedestrian-friendly district with historic brick streets, retail shops, and restaurants. The brick streets are as much a part of the local character as the shops and restaurants. Town Spring is a contributing feature in the historic district and has been part of the city since Clinton’s development. Those interested in local history will therefore find several distinct points of interest in Olde Towne: the street grid, the district’s development, and individual features such as Town Spring.

Depots, Exhibits, and Local Mementos

The Olde Towne Depot is a reproduction of three historic depots that stood in Clinton. Its exhibit depicts Clinton in the late 1940s and early 1950s, with detailed representations of buildings and brick streets. This is a narrower time period than the district’s history of development, which spans the 1840s through the early 1960s. This makes it possible to compare a longer arc of city history with a depiction of a specific period.

The museum at the Clinton Visitor Center displays Civil War relics, artifacts from the Clinton prisoner-of-war camp, and mementos of early merchants in Olde Towne and at Mississippi College. The building’s appearance also evokes history: the Clinton Visitor Center has the authentic look of a 19th-century-style farmhouse, like one that once stood along the Natchez Trace Parkway. Along with the depot, the Visitor Center offers another way to explore Clinton’s past, this time through collection items and a historically styled building.

Nature Trails and a Section of the Natchez Trace

The Clinton Community Nature Center encompasses 32.2 acres of native vegetation. Its 2.5 miles of hiking trails wind through hardwood forests and include 0.4 miles of the historic Natchez Trace. The acreage describes the site, while the trail length refers to the routes through the forests. The section of the Natchez Trace adds a historical connection to this nature-focused experience.

The Olde Towne Depot rents cruiser bicycles for rides through downtown and Olde Towne Clinton. If you’d like to include the bicycles in your plans, check in advance whether they’re available during your visit. The options described also differ in form: the historic streets and places take center stage in the district, while the Nature Center is described in terms of its grounds and hiking trails.

Choose a Hotel in Clinton Based on Your Travel Interests

This comparison can help you tailor your trip to your interests without treating the different offerings as equivalent. When considering a specific hotel, compare its location and amenities based on the individual listing.

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