Clinton dates to 1770, and 3 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 65% of U.S. towns · #55 of 261 in Maryland. What drives it
Most of Clinton was built recently: 1% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1988. 3 places in town are on the National Register, among them the His Lordship's Kindness, a National Historic Landmark. Below: 12 old photos and papers, maps from 1900 on, and the census since 1980.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1854.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Clinton’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Clinton is more historic than 65% of U.S. towns, #55 of 261 in Maryland. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Clinton’s overall grade.
Few Maryland towns list much on the Register (a typical Maryland town has 0.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Clinton’s 3.4 sits near the middle of its state (58% of Maryland towns have fewer) while its 13 historic buildings outnumber those of 77% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1770.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to A. The pre-1940 share (±0.8 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: Wikidata (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 →
What stands out about Clinton’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds
Clinton’s post office has been open since 1878. Four other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
Surratt's
1854–1865
Robeystown
1865–1878
Clinton
1878–today
Thrift
1883–1923
Tippett
1898–1927
18501940today
Hamlets and corners on the map
BallardBoniwoodBrooke Jane ManorClinton HeightsClinton HillsClinton WoodsColes CornerHyde Field EstatesJenkins CornerKastle EstatesNew England EstatesOld Fort AcresParker MeadowsRolee EstatesThriftTippettWindbrook
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Clinton
Christ Episcopal ChurchSaint John the Evangelist
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
On the map
Clinton on the map, 1900 to 1979
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Clinton. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1900Washington sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Clinton.
On the National Register
3 historic places in Clinton
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier.
Clinton was founded in the 1770s. The town, then named Surratt's Villa, was actually a simple crossroads with a few buildings. In the 1800s, it became known as Surrattsville. The main building served as the post office, an inn and tavern, and a polling place. This main residence was one of two properties owned by the widowed Mary Surratt; the second property was in Washington, D.C.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1770, according to Wikidata. Clinton’s post office opened in 1854, and the census of 1980 counted 16,438 people here.
How does Clinton rank for history?
Clinton is more historic than 65% of U.S. towns, #55 of 261 in Maryland. 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.
What is on the National Register in Clinton?
Three places: the His Lordship's Kindness (listed 1970), the Surratt House (1973) and the Wyoming (1980).
How old are the homes in Clinton?
1% of Clinton’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 3.3% for a Maryland town; the median home was built in 1988.
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 (10), the Library of Congress (2), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), 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.
★ Landmark
1918
1920
1920
1920
1920![Leonardtown Tour, home in Surrattsville, Mrs. Surratt]](https://images.townratings.com/story/40510/95bd5aaaae150af7f8d2-s.jpg)
1920
1933
