Biohazard Cleanup Near Fairgrounds Clewiston, FL

Clewiston sits on the southwestern shore of Lake Okeechobee, Florida's largest freshwater lake, in Hendry County.

The first permanent settlement at Clewiston began in 1920, when John O'Brien of Philadelphia and Alonzo Clewis of Tampa bought a large tract of land, commissioned a town plan, and built the Moore Haven & Clewiston Railway to link the new town to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.

Clewiston was incorporated as a city in 1925 and is one of only two incorporated cities in Hendry County, alongside the county seat of LaBelle.

In 1931 industrialist Charles Stewart Mott bought the bankrupt Southern Sugar Corporation and formed the United States Sugar Corporation, which is still headquartered in Clewiston.

U.S. Sugar farms more than 230,000 acres and is the largest producer of sugarcane in the United States by volume, which is how Clewiston earned its motto, "America's Sweetest Town."

The 2020 census counted 7,327 people in Clewiston, living in about 2,700 households.

Only about 66% of Clewiston's homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is around $57,000.

The Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail passes along the edge of Clewiston atop the Herbert Hoover Dike, and the city is renowned among anglers for its largemouth bass fishing, hosting world-class bass tournaments.

Clewiston is home to the Clewiston Museum and the historic Dixie Crystal Theatre.