Clinton County /

Clinton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 49,116 in the 2010 census, a decline from 50,149 in 2000. Its name is in honor of the seventh Governor of New York State, DeWitt Clinton. Its county seat is Clinton. Clinton County was formed on December 21, 1837. It was named for DeWitt Clinton, a Governor of New York and most ardent advocate for the construction of the Erie Canal. The cities of DeWitt and Clinton were also named after him. In 1835, Elijah Buell built a log cabin for himself and his family and was thus the first settler of the region. In 1854, the first newspaper was issued and in 1858, the Lyons Female College for girls opened its doors. The tuition was set at $175 per student. The county has used three courthouses in its history. The structure currently in use was constructed in Romanesque style and opened in 1897. According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 710.19 square miles (1,839.4 km), of which 694.98 square miles (1,800.0 km) (or 97.86%) is land and 15.21 square miles (39.4 km) (or 2.14%) is water. It includes the easternmost point in the state of Iowa, on the Mississippi River in Elk River township in the