Clinton, British Columbia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clinton
Village
Village of Clinton
Clinton's welcome sign
Clinton Location in British Columbia
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Regional district	Thompson–Nicola
Incorporated	1963
Government
• Type	Mayor and Council
Area
• Total	8.19 km2 (3.16 sq mi)
Elevation	900 m (3,000 ft)
Population  (2021)
• Total	568
• Density	78.2/km2 (203/sq mi)
	-11.4% Population decrease from 2016 (641)
Time zone	UTC−08:00 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−07:00 (PDT)
Area code(s)	250
Highways	97
Website	http://www.village.clinton.bc.ca

Clinton is a small village located in British Columbia, Canada. It's about 40 kilometers northwest of Cache Creek. You can also find it 30 kilometers south of 70 Mile House.

Many people think Clinton is at the southern edge of the Cariboo region of British Columbia. It sits right below the southern part of the Cariboo Plateau. This area is known for its beautiful natural scenery.

Clinton offers many fun outdoor activities. You can go horse-back riding or try to spot big game animals. Hiking, fishing, and other adventures are also popular here.

Every May, Clinton hosts a special event called the Annual Ball. It takes place on the Victoria Day weekend. Many people dress up in clothes from the time of the first settlers. This ball starts the Village's Heritage Week. The week ends with a parade, a rodeo, and a dance. The Clinton Annual Ball is one of British Columbia's oldest continuous events. It first happened in 1867. For many years, it was a major social event in the British Columbia Interior.

The Clinton Museum was built in 1892. It has many old items on display. These artifacts show what life was like during the gold rush. They also tell the story of how the area was founded.

Why Is It Called Clinton?

Before it was called Clinton, this area had other names. It was known as Cut-Off Valley, "47 Mile House," or simply "47 Mile."

The name Clinton was chosen in 1863. This was when the Cariboo Wagon Road was finished in the area. The village was named after Henry Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle. He was a very important government official. He served as the colonial secretary from 1859 to 1864.

Who Lives in Clinton?

In 2021, a count of people was done by Statistics Canada. Clinton had a population of 568 people. These residents lived in 291 homes.

This number was a bit lower than in 2016. At that time, 641 people lived in Clinton. The village covers an area of about 8.14 square kilometers.

Getting Around Clinton

Highway 97 is a main road that goes through Clinton. It runs north and south. Just south of downtown, it meets Pavilion Mountain Road. This road connects to Pavilion and Kelly Lake. It also follows the path of the Old Cariboo Road.

The British Columbia Railway also uses a route nearby. It comes from the Fraser Canyon. You can reach ranching communities like Jesmond and Big Bar from here. This is done by taking a road from Kelly Lake. Kelly Lake is also where Downing Provincial Park is located.

This same road leads to Edge Hills Provincial Park and Marble Range Provincial Park. It also takes you to the Big Bar Ferry. This ferry crosses the Fraser River. On the other side, you can connect to Lillooet. Clinton was once called "47 Mile House." This was because it was 47 miles from Lillooet on the Old Cariboo Road.

Another important road leaves Highway 97 in Clinton. This is the path of the original Cariboo Road. It goes up the side of the Bonaparte River valley. It leads to the Cariboo Plateau. Along this route, you'll find places like Chasm and Lone Butte.

The BCR train line also follows this general path. It has stops at Chasm and Lone Butte. It also stops at the Flying U Ranch. This is one of British Columbia's oldest dude ranches. Other roads from the Cariboo Road lead east. They go to Bonaparte Lake and Bonaparte Provincial Park. Loon Lake can be reached by Loon Lake Road. This road leaves Highway 97 south of Clinton.