[5]: 419 Before the arrival of European settlers, the area of Clearview Township was part of the territory of the Petun, a confederation of Iroquoians who were closely related to the Huron and Neutral peoples.

The Petun were ravaged by disease epidemics in the early 17th century and victim to raids by the Iroquois Confederacy (a part of the Beaver Wars), with much of their remaining population fleeing as refugees and vacating the territory.

[5]: 1–2 Early settlement on the site of Stayner coincided with the construction of the Toronto, Simcoe and Huron Railway between 1851 and 1855.

The community of Stayner, which was originally called Nottawasaga Station, developed into a significant agricultural and lumbering centre.

The township comprises the communities of Avening, Batteaux, Brentwood, Cashtown Corners, Creemore, Dunedin, Duntroon, Glen Huron, Maple Valley, New Lowell, Nottawa, Pretty River Valley, Singhampton, Smithdale, Stayner, Sunnidale, Sunnidale Corners and Websterville.

It borders on the following municipalities: Clearview (and Simcoe County in general) is part of Central Ontario as well as the Georgian Triangle.

The Bruce Trail runs along the Niagara Escarpment in the western part of the township, and there is a cross-country skiing centre in Duntroon.

The township is administered by a Town Council with one member from each of the seven (numbered) wards, a mayor and deputy-mayor.

Policing services are provided by the Huronia West detachment of the OPP out of Wasaga Beach.

A number of schools, although located in other municipalities (specifically Collingwood, Essa Township and Wasaga Beach), have catchment areas that extend into Clearview.