[7] Although originally called "Holly Creek" after a small stream that runs through the town, it was later named "Clintwood" after Major Henry Clinton Wood, a Confederate officer in the 37th Virginia Infantry Regiment.

The "Petticoat Government", as it was nicknamed, implemented change in many areas, including cleanup of the town, eliminating parking problems, organizing a systematic garbage disposal system, eliminating several traffic hazards, organizing the town's fire department, and purchasing a fire truck.

The "Petticoat Government" received the attention of Lady Astor, a member of the British Parliament who expressed a desire to visit Clintwood to see how the experiment was going.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Clintwood has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), all of it land.

Justin Hamilton was a former star at Clintwood High School, defensive back for the Virginia Tech Hokies and former member of the National Football League's Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins football organizations.

Bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley was from Dickenson County and lived on Sandy Ridge in the mountains that surround Clintwood.