Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 75% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Most of Clinton was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1975. 15 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Courthouse and Lawyers' Row, a National Historic Landmark, and a historic district with 5 buildings.
The Clinton post office opened in 1826, the earliest record of the town by name.
More historic than 75% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Clinton is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
Louisiana towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Louisiana town has 3.8 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Clinton’s 194 sits above most of its state (95% of Louisiana towns have fewer) while its 22 historic buildings outnumber those of 80% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier.
★ Landmark
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Clinton’s history is told.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
BuiltBoatner House is builtBuiltMarston House is builtBuiltSilliman Institute is built
Born hereEmilie Watts McVea is born here
Built1938 Clinton High School is built
Born hereShannon Dawson is born hereFrom Wikipedia’s history of Clinton.
In 1824, when Feliciana Parish was split into East and West, Clinton became the seat of East Feliciana Parish's government, replacing the town of Jackson in this capacity.
In mid October 1948, an Air Force transport plane with 34 people aboard made a forced landing near the town, killing four.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
The Clinton post office opened in 1826, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).
Clinton is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
15 listings: 14 buildings, among them the Marston House (listed 1972, the first), and 1 historic district, the Courthouse and Lawyers' Row, with 5 contributing buildings. 22 historic buildings in all.
5% of Clinton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.7 points), against a typical 3.4% for a Louisiana town; the median home was built in 1975.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (2), Wikidata (4), the National Register of Historic Places (15), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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