In 1856, two railroads raced to lay track, with each crew struggling to arrive first so the other would bear the expense of crossing the already laid track. The Chicago and Fond du Lac, today's C&NW, won the race, and the Racine and Mississippi, today's Soo Line, bore the cost of the crossing. The settlement of Clinton was about 2 miles west of the junction, and in 1857 the village literally picked itself up and moved to the Crossing near the south end of present day Allen street, becoming the nucleus of Clinton.