Wilmington is the county seat of Clinton County, Ohio, and is located 43 miles northeast of Cincinnati, 56 miles southwest of Columbus, and 29 miles southeast of Dayton. Many of the town's early residents were from North Carolina, and they named their new community, which was established in 1810 after Wilmington, North Carolina. The community grew quickly, attaining 1,500 residents by 1840. In 1846, the community had five churches, one high school, one newspaper, and nineteen retail stores. By 1880, Wilmington had almost doubled in size, achieving a population of 2,745 residents. In 1886, two railroads passed through the community, and the town consisted of three newspaper offices, nine churches, and two banks. Most businesses processed farm products or manufactured farming tools for local use. In 1870, the Society of Friends established the Wilmington College. During the twentieth century, Wilmington experienced continued growth. In 2000, the town had a population of 11,921 people. It is also the home of a National Weather Service station. Residents claim that the first banana split was created in this community during an event at Hazard's Drug Store in 1907.