Plan your visit. The treasures of the past are waiting for you.

We are open the first Saturday of the month from 10 am to 2 pm or by a prearranged appointment.

The Clinton County Historical Society was established in 1969 with the purpose of preserving historical materials and information pertaining to Clinton County, Missouri.

In 1976, a residence known as the Riley-Carmack House was purchased to display the many things that have been donated through the years. This residence was built between 1886-1888 in the Eastlake style.

Photo by: Laurel DeFreece

We are honored to share exciting news!
The Clinton County Historical Society has been awarded the 21st Century Grant from the Missouri State Genealogical Association. The award was presented on August 5th, 2023, at the State Meeting in Columbia, Missouri.

This generous support will allow us to recreate Helen Russell’s legendary obituary binders, a priceless resource currently held in a private collection. Helen indexed more than 30,000 Clinton County obituaries spanning 1878–2015, preserving the stories of our families, neighbors, and ancestors with extraordinary dedication.

These recreated binders will be available for public use at the Riley‑Carmack Museum, ensuring continued access to one of the most significant genealogical collections in our county’s history.

As Hodding S. Carter reminds us:
“There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children – one is roots, and the other, wings.”

Thanks to this grant, Clinton County’s roots grow even deeper — and our wings stretch a little farther.

Likewise, in October 2024, the Clinton County Historical Society was honored to receive a $1,000 Richard S. Brownlee Local History Grant from The State Historical Society of Missouri. These funds are helping us secure essential archival supplies—tools that ensure our community’s stories, documents, and treasures are preserved with the care and dignity they deserve. Every investment like this strengthens our ability to safeguard Clinton County’s rich and remarkable history for generations to come.