Clinton, MS

Founded in 1805 at the junction of the Natchez Trace and Old Vicksburg Road, the city of Clinton stands on the location of the former Indian agency Mount Dexter. The settlement attracted many settlers when Walter Leake, then the governor of Mississippi, purchased land there to build a home. It was christened Mount Salus, giving the community its original name. Intended to be the state capital, it changed its name to honor prominent citizen DeWitt Clinton. In the 1800s, the town experienced a building boom and became home to over 40 businesses and one of the largest cotton gins of its time.

Visit the Mississippi Baptist Historical Museum for a taste of life in the area, or head northeast to visit the Tougaloo Art Colony. The city hosts regular events for the community, from paint workshops and sweetheart formals to potluck luncheons and the annual Valentine's Day dance.

Expect to find cuisine with a Southern flavor in the restaurants and cafes spread throughout this neighborhood, mostly located on main thoroughfares such as Clinton Parkway and Highway 80. Head to the Froghead Grill, an eatery based around the jovial legend of a frog who found out that the meaning of life is good food, great friends and fun. Choose from Cajun favorites such as seafood gumbo or red beans and rice or try a platter slathered with hamburger steak, catfish or beef tips and gravy. This establishment serves lunch specials every weekday from 11 a.m. until they run out, featuring entrees such as jambalaya, crawfish etouffee and gramma's poppysee chicken casserole. At T'Beaux's Crawfish & Catering, you can sit back and relax with Cajun eats from a catering team that claims to be able to cook 10,000 pounds of seafood and fixings in a single day. Buy live crawfish by the sack to take home with you, or dine in to enjoy delicacies ranging from Dungeness crab and snow crab legs to oysters, shrimp and seafood gumbo. Nestled within a building that has served as a centerpiece of Clinton since 1870, 303 Jefferson aims to provide quality lunch and dinner options as well as several blue-plate specials. Expect to find mostly traditional Southern fare and comfort food dishes on the menu, such as burgers, seafood, salad and sandwiches. Locals recommend the fried catfish lunch special, with macaroni and cheese, green beans and coleslaw, or the crab cakes and Greek salad followed by a tiramisu dessert. As evening falls, take advantage of the modest range of nightlife options to be found within Clinton. Catch a movie at the Clinton Center 10 theater, enjoy a drink at Betty Boops, or relax at the Footloose Bar & Grill. To watch sports on overhead screens, stop in at the Bacchus Sport Bar.

Public transport users may be disappointed with the options in Clinton because the public transportation system is virtually non-existent. You'll find an Amtrak Station in nearby Jackson, but very little within the neighborhood itself. Instead, most locals rely on their own cars to get them about within Clinton and to travel beyond its borders, made easier by the presence of the Natchez Trace Parkway and Interstate 20. Both of these major thoroughfares run through the center of the city, providing easy access to Jackson, Vicksburg and further destinations along the Interstate 20 corridor.

Uber and other ride share businesses don't operate in this area, but taxi cabs can be arranged for a pickup from nearby Jackson. You'll find very public parking beyond limited on-street parking and spots outside some of the businesses and parks. Due to the spread out nature of businesses in the area and lack of public transportation, you won't find it easy to complete many of your daily errands on foot. The lack of biking infrastructure makes this an unfriendly neighborhood for cyclists to boot.

Spend some time in the fresh air at a number of parks in Clinton such as the expansive Traceway Park, which features 11 soccer fields, six softball fields, eight baseball fields, a quarter-mile walking track and a 3.4-mile shared path. At 160 acres, Traceway Park forms the primary green space for the neighborhood.

Brighton Park sports four regular tennis courts, two championship courts, two sand volleyball courts, two pavilions, two shuffleboard courts, three horseshoe pits, a nine-hole disc golf course, a half-mile shared path, 10 stations at the outdoor exercise equipment and a top-of-the-line ADA-certified playground.

Not providing quite as much to do as the previous two parks but nonetheless a popular spot, Robinson Park features a pavilion, multipurpose field, outdoor basketball court, playground and a walking path. Similar in amenities to Robinson Park, you'll find Northside Park located behind Fire Station #3. On Old Vicksburg Road in Clinton, take the younger members of the family to enjoy the Kids’ Towne Playground, a community-built park that features a wide offering of wood-constructed playground equipment, three tennis courts, one backboard court, a walking track and a pavilion. This space was created primarily for children and includes suitable equipment for most ages.

All parks follow a general theme of child friendliness and support exercise opportunities for visitors. Pets should remain on a leash unless otherwise noted, and all refuse needs to be disposed of for the benefit of other park-goers.

Clinton enjoys a higher level of affordability compared to the nearby metropolis of Jackson. You can expect an average cost of living in Clinton roughly 14 percent less than its city neighbor. The median rental cost for a one-bedroom apartment will set you back around $680, while you'll pay just under $8 for a pint of beer in a local pub or restaurant. The price of gasoline hovers about 10 percent below the national average.

At the center of the neighborhood, you'll find all manner of shopping opportunities, including the Clinton Plaza Shopping Center and the Metrocenter Mall. The abundant shopping in this neighborhood also stretches to smaller boutique-style stores, such as the When Pigs Fly antique store and Pentimento Books for used novels and textbooks. Head to All Sport Cards & Collectibles if you happen to be a sports card collector, or Puttin' on the Glitz for formal wear and rentals. To find a gift for a loved one or a unique piece for your home, stop in at Bon Chic Antiques & Interiors.

Pick up your groceries at one of a range of local stores and supermarkets, from the Walmart Supercenter to LCD Foods and the Grocery Depot. Smaller convenience stores, including the Lakeside Food Mart and Los Amigos, allow residents to pick up needed items between grocery trips. Find the closest farmer's market to the east in Jackson: the Jackson Farmers Market, Mississippi Farmers Market and Whole Foods Market can all be visited there.