CLAY COUNTY

Clay was formed in 1861 from Cherokee. It was named in honor of Henry Clay. It is in the western section of the State and is bounded by the state of Georgia and Cherokee and Macon counties. The present land area is 214.70 square miles. The population from the 2010 Census was 10,587. Of that population, 10,231 were white, 64 were black or African American, 32 were American Indian, 24 were Asian, 2 were Pacific Islander and 81 were of a different race. Another 153 were reported to be of two or more races and 258 were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Commissioners were directed to hold their first meeting in the Methodist Church near Fort Hembree. Special commissioners were named to select a site for the courthouse and lay out a town by the name of Hayesville. Hayesville, named in honor of George W. Hayes, is the county seat.

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Most areas in Clay County are located in the Hiwassee River Basin. It is in the mountain region of the state.

References:

"American Factfinder." 2011. U. S. Census Bureau. Online at http://factfinder2.census.gov/. Accessed 3/3/2011.

Corbitt, David L. 2000. The Formation of the North Carolina Counties, 1663-1943. Sixth printing. Raleigh: State Department of Archives and History.

Powell, William Stevens, and Michael R. Hill. 2010. The North Carolina gazetteer: a dictionary of Tar Heel places and their history. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.

Additional resources:

North Carolina Digital Collections. (Government & Heritage Library and NC State Archives)

NC LIVE resources

NC Natural Heritage Program database

WorldCat (Searches numerous library catalogs)