Clinton Road is an approximately 9-mile rural highway located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Amador County. As presently configured Clinton Road begins at California State Route 49 in Jackson and extends east to California State Route 88 near Pine Grove.
Clinton Road was developed in 1849 as the primary stage route between Jackson and Volcano. The corridor is named after the mining supply town of Clinton which was located on South Fork Jackson Creek. Clinton Road would become a public highway in 1854 after Amador County was created. For several decades the corridor of Clinton Road would serve as the primary highway east of Jackson towards Volcano and Carson Pass. The modern terminus points of the Clinton Road corridor would develop in the 1940s to better align with the then modernizing State Highways.
Part 1; the history of Clinton Road
Clinton Road is named after the Gold Rush era mining community of Clinton. Clinton Road was developed largely along South Fork Jackson Creek by prospectors traveling between the mines of Jackson and Volcano in 1849. The corridor originally was part of the chain of roadways which spanned eastward over the crest of the Sierra Nevada to Carson Pass.
Clinton would develop in the early 1850s as supply town for the placer mines on the middle and southern forks of Jackson Creek. Clinton would later become a hub for small scale quartz mining along with nearby Irishtown. Clinton reportedly had 100 clapboard and canvas homes by 1852. Clinton was primarily occupied by Mexican, French and Chilean miners.
The Spagnoli family who owned the largest store Clinton funded construction of irrigation ditches which brought water to the community. When Amador County was created during May 1854, Clinton business owner Thomas Loehr would successfully petition for Clinton Road to become a public highway.
Clinton Road can be seen as the primary highway between Jackson and Volcano on the 1857 Britton & Rey's map of California.
In 1877 the Spagnoli family would fund construction of St. Peter and Paul's Catholic Church in Clinton. Said church would become the last standing structure in the community after Clinton became a ghost town. The church was later moved to the grounds of the Kennedy Mine Foundation for preservation.
Clinton Road is still shown to be the primary highway between Jackson and Volcano on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California.
The 1935 Division of Highways map of Amador County displays Clinton Road as beginning at California State Routes 8 and 49 (Broadway) in Jackson and extending eastward to California State Route 8 at Pine Grove. Clinton Road is still shown to be aligned to Irishtown Road near Pine Grove.
California State Routes 49 and 88 would be realigned out of downtown Jackson in 1945. Clinton Road was extended west of Broadway to reach the then new California State Route 49 alignment. The 1948 United States Geological Survey map of Mokelumne Hill displays the modern alignment of Clinton Road branching north of the Clinton town site to California State Route 88 near Irishtown Road.
Part 2; a drive on Clinton Road
From northbound Broadway in Jackson traffic heading onto eastbound Clinton Road makes a right-hand turn.
Clinton Road branches left approaching a Y-intersection with Butte Mountain Road.
Eastbound Clinton Road picks up the course of South Fork Jackson Creek and follows it through a wooded area. Clinton Road makes a left-hand turn approaching Tabeaud Road.
Clinton Road turns northeast and narrows to a single lane upon entering the Clinton town site. There is little evidence of Clinton today aside from E. Clampus Vitus Marker #37.
Clinton Road climbs from the Clinton town site over a ridge to California State Route 88 near Irishtown Road. Both Clinton Road and Irishtown Road appear to be carried mutually to California State Route 88.
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