The first settlement on the land that is now Clinton Township was called Gnadenhuetten and was established in 1782 by Rev.

Because of confusion with another Huron River south of Detroit, on July 17, 1824, the Michigan Territorial Legislature renamed both the township and the river after DeWitt Clinton, the popular governor of New York from 1817 to 1823 who was largely responsible for building the Erie Canal which enabled many settlers to come to Michigan.

The city of Mount Clemens, the Macomb county seat, is bordered on three sides by the northeast part of the township.

[1] The Clinton River, for which the community is named, is formed from three branches within the township.

[7] It runs east into Harrison Township, where it flows into Lake St. Clair.

The Italian American Cultural Society (IACS) is located in Clinton Township.

[17] The IACS building is located on Romeo Plank Road, north of 19 Mile,[18] situated on the northern edge of the township.

[22] Other school districts that operate within Clinton Township are L'Anse Creuse, Fraser, and Mount Clemens.