Clay County

Clay County was named for the county for Henry Clay of Kentucky by the Territorial Legislature. It was organized on August 10, 1866. Indian outbreaks from 1857 and 1864 forced the early settlers out of the county. The establishment of the English settlement of Wakefield Colony in 1869, brought not only these new people to the county, but their expertise in farming contributed greatly to the agriculture of the area. (Kansas Historical Society)

This is a photograph of the 1918 Armistice Day celebration in Clay Center, Kansas. Visible is a stone monument on a wheeled platform, a band, spectators, automobiles and horse-drawn carriages, businesses and buildings, and American flags. November 11, 1918

The collection of research featured in this exhibit traces the growth and success of some Clay County towns, and the demise of those towns lost in Clay County, Kansas.