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Home Page2004 Katy Trail Ride
Day 5 - June 25, 2004 - Sedalia to Clinton
History on the Trail
Whether it’s your end or your beginning to Katy Trail State Park, Clinton is definitely a unique historic town worth exploring.
A town once known as the “Baby Chick Capital of the World” has seen a lot of changes since its inception in the early 1800s. The artesian springs, located in the southwest corner of Clinton, were once a thriving hotspot for vacationers. The springs area offered a toboggan water slide, horse racing and a glamorous hotel among other things. You can still see remnants of the hotel and racetrack today in what is known as Artesian Park. Clinton was once also home to dozens of chicken-producing farms, cigar manufacturers and a broom factory.
Clinton was able to really establish itself as a community when the Missouri-Kansas- Texas Railroad line came into the town. What is now today’s Katy Trail once brought in as many as 10 trains a day to the growing town.
The historic downtown Clinton square is also a very unique part of the town. Some of the buildings date back to the middle 1800s. If that’s not a good enough look into the past, you can always visit the Henry County Museum. The museum is located just off the northwest corner of the square and is housed in an original Anheuser-Busch distribution building that dates back to 1886.
One of the biggest attractions in Henry County every summer is Clinton’s Olde Glory Days. The annual Fourth of July weekend festival features carnival rides, tractor pulls, parades, picnics, fireworks and live concerts.
When you’re planning your next trip on the Katy Trail, make sure to plan in an extra day to explore the town of Clinton.
