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         CLIFTON. What is now known as old Clifton was platted Sept. 15, 1858, by Green and Stone, of Muscatine, and was situated on the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter, and the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 23, township 75 north, of range 5 west. It was surveyed by C. E. Kennedy. The town was quite prosperous for some years, and at one time had a population of about 200. A post-office was established soon after the village was laid out, with George Haywood as Postmaster, who served until 1861, when he was succeeded by John Collins, who remained in office until 1866. He was succeeded in turn by George W. Merrill, C. F. Butler, John Gamble and Clinton Dill.

On the completion of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad, and the building up of the town of Columbus Junction, old Clifton began to decline, its business men moved away, and in time the station was removed by the railroad, and in 1877 its post-office was also discontinued, being merged into the post-office at Columbus Junction.

When the station at old Clifton was discontinued a petition was presented to the officers of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad for the location of a station some miles farther west. What is now called the village of Clifton, located near the Washington County line, was laid out by Miss Maggie Colton, and has now a population of about 100, and is a shipping point of considerable importance. There are two general stores doing a good business, also a lumber-yard, blacksmith-shop and carpenter-shop. A creamery was established here in 1881, with a capacity of 2,000 pounds of butter per day. A Methodist Episcopal Church affords religious instruction to the people of this place and vicinity.