Mission & History
Mission Statement:
Clinton Community Nature Center (CCNC) is a non-profit organization that seeks to conserve our land and historic features while developing a place for the appreciation, enjoyment, and study of nature.
Join our mission:
As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we operate on donations, memberships, partnerships, volunteers, and grants.
We would love to have you participate in one or more of these roles! We are in need of volunteers, event organizers, educators, and contributors. If you are interested, contact us at ccnaturecenter@gmail.com and join in on the fun!
​Since opening its doors in 1997, CCNC strives to conserve our land and historic features while developing a place for the appreciation, enjoyment, and study of nature.
Signs explaining the area's history and native foliage can be found throughout CCNC's 32.2 acres planted with native vegetation. Its 2.5 miles of beautiful, hardwood forest walking trails include 0.4 miles of the historic Natchez Trace, as well as the 1872 Sumner Hill School site - the first public school for African-Americans in Hinds County. Our trail system connects with the nature trail at Quisenberry Library, providing additional access points within the community.
Our trails are free and open to everyone seven days a week, and we provide services for the entire Jackson Metro region. We have regional partners who have continually supported CCNC from donation of services to volunteer labor, and we would not be able to operate without this vast network of community partnerships. Our trails and events attract over 20,000 participants each year, and we are still growing.
History:
CCNC was formed in —- to preserve a precious and historic tract of woods donated by the Price Family, right in the heart of Clinton, Mississippi.
In the beginning, two of CCNC’s founding members Dr. Bill Stark and Dr. Prentiss Cox, former professors at Mississippi College, walked the property, noting specific places, trees, and areas they wanted to ensure visitors to experience. After marking these spots with orange tape, they set to work creating trail routes that would guide people through from one notable area to another.
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