Clifton is located on Kansas Highway 9. The town's main street, Parallel Street, separates the community between Washington and Clay Counties. Clifton, Kansas was incorporated in 1884.

Our Beginning: Clifton was originally laid out in 1859 by a surveyor named Clifton, for whom the town was named. After changing locations several times, the present town of Clifton was laid out in 1870 by Rufus Berry in anticipation of the railroad, which arrived to this point in December 1877.