Clinton County is located in the geographic center of Michigan and was organized in 1839. Early speculators and settlers were largely from New York and Clinton County is named for DeWitt Clinton, the governor of New York under whom the Erie Canal was constructed.
The County boasts industrial growth and manufacturing base with the development especially in the southern corridor of the county. The County holds a top 10 ranking in the state for agriculture in categories that include dairy, soybeans and cattle, and is famous for its mint production due to the rich black soil, and celebrates its mint farming heritage annually at the “Mint Festival”.
The southern portion of the County includes the cities of DeWitt, Grand Ledge and East Lansing, along with Bath Charter Township and DeWitt Charter Township, which is home to the Lansing Capital City Airport. The city of St. Johns, in the center of the county, was made the county seat in 1857 and was incorporated as a city in 1904. Other communities in the county include the villages of Elsie in the northeast section of the county, Ovid on the east side, Fowler and Hubbardston to the west, Maple Rapids in the northwest, Westphalia, Eagle and Watertown Charter Township in the southwest.
The County is dissected by several major highways including US-127, I-69 and I-96 as well as M-21. This access allows for many economic development opportunities in the County as well as the greater tri-county (Clinton, Ingham and Eaton) metropolitan area.
Clinton County is committed to recreation, providing residents and visitors alike with indoor and outdoor fun. The County is home to several lakes and rivers, including Sleepy Hollow State Park, Motz County Park, Rose Lake Wildlife Research Center and the Maple River State Game Area. The Looking Glass River, aptly named, is also a unique feature flowing through the communities of Wacousta and DeWitt. Clinton County is home to ten golf courses, offering various degrees of proficiency.