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Clay County is a county located in the far western part of U.S. state North Carolina. As of the 2020 Census, the county population was 11,089.[1] The county seat is Hayesville, elevation 1,893 ft.[2]

Clay County
U.S. county
Clay County Courthouse in Hayesville
Seal Logo
Motto:  "It's Good for the Soul"
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°04′N 83°46′W
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Founded	1861
Named for	Henry Clay
Seat	Hayesville
Largest town	Hayesville
Area
• Total	221 sq mi (570 km2)
• Land	215 sq mi (560 km2)
• Water	5.9 sq mi (15 km2)  2.7%
Population [1]
• Total	11,089
• Estimate  (2021)[1]	11,309
• Density	50/sq mi (19/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	11th
Website	www.clayconc.com

History

This area was occupied by the Cherokee Nation at the time of European settlement. The name of Brasstown, an unincorporated community in the county, was derived from a Cherokee term for a village location, which English speakers confused with another that meant "brass." They referred to the village as Brasstown, a translation unrelated to the Cherokee history of the site.

Migrants into the area were primarily of Scots-Irish descent, who had moved into the backcountry of the Appalachians from eastern areas. They moved south from Pennsylvania and Virginia after the American Revolution. Most became yeomen farmers and few owned slaves in the antebellum years.

In the fall of 1860, George Hayes, who was running for state representative from Cherokee County, promised his constituents to introduce legislation to organize a new county in the region. That would bring business associated with a new county seat, and make government accessible to more people. In February 1861 the legislation was introduced and passed by the North Carolina General Assembly.[3] Clay County was formed primarily from Cherokee County, North Carolina, however a small area was taken from Macon County; it was named for statesman Henry Clay, former Secretary of State and member of the United States Senate from Kentucky. In honor of Mr. Hayes, the legislature designated the new county seat as Hayesville.[3]

Given the interruption of the American Civil War, Clay County lacked an organized, formal government until 1868. Later that year, during the Reconstruction era, the first United States post office in the county opened in Hayesville. The first county courthouse was built in 1888; it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[4]

Since the nineteenth century, Clay County has remained largely agricultural.[3] Given its relative isolation, in the 21st century, residents continue to be overwhelmingly of European-American ancestry.

The Clay County Progress is the local newspaper, reporting mostly county news.[5]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 221 square miles (570 km²), of which 215 square miles (560 km²) is land and 5.9 square miles (15 km²) (2.7%) is water.[6] It is the third-smallest county in North Carolina by land area and smallest by total area.

Clay County is bordered to the south by the state of Georgia and the Chattahoochee National Forest. The Nantahala River forms part of its northeastern border. The county is drained by the Hiwassee River. In the southern part of Clay County is Chatuge Lake, on the North Carolina–Georgia border. Much of Clay County exists within the Nantahala National Forest. Fires Creek Bear Reserve is north of the township of Tusquittee.

The eastern portion of the county is preserved as part of the Nantahala National Forest.

Climate

Clay County has a humid subtropical climate, (Cfa) according to the Köppen classification, with hot, humid summers and mild, but occasionally cold winters by the standards of the southern United States.[7]

Like the rest of the southeastern U.S., Clay County receives abundant rainfall, which is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year. Average annual rainfall is 55.9 inches (1,420 mm). Blizzards are rare but possible; one nicknamed the Storm of the Century hit the entire Eastern United States in March, 1993.

National protected area

• Nantahala National Forest (part)

State and local protected areas

• Fires Creek Wildlife Management Area (part)
• JackRabbit Mountain

Major water bodies

• Buck Creek
• Chatuge Lake
• Crawford Creek
• Hiwassee River
• Little Tennessee River
• Nantahala River
• Park Creek
• Tusquitee Creek

Adjacent counties

• Cherokee County - northwest
• Macon County - east
• Union County, Georgia - southwest
• Towns County, Georgia - south
• Rabun County, Georgia - southeast
• Cherokee County - west

Major highways

• US 64
• 
  US 64 Bus.
• NC 69
• NC 175

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1870	2,461		—
1880	3,316		34.7%
1890	4,197		26.6%
1900	4,532		8.0%
1910	3,909		−13.7%
1920	4,646		18.9%
1930	5,434		17.0%
1940	6,405		17.9%
1950	6,006		−6.2%
1960	5,526		−8.0%
1970	5,180		−6.3%
1980	6,619		27.8%
1990	7,155		8.1%
2000	8,775		22.6%
2010	10,587		20.6%
2020	11,089		4.7%
2021 (est.)	11,309	[1]	2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[8][failed verification] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2013[12] 2020[1]

2020 census

Clay County racial composition[13]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	10,044	90.58%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	60	0.54%
Native American	44	0.4%
Asian	40	0.36%
Pacific Islander	7	0.06%
Other/Mixed	456	4.11%
Hispanic or Latino	438	3.95%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 11,089 people, 4,996 households, and 3,424 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census[14] there were 8,775 people, 3,847 households, and 2,727 families residing in the county. The population density was 41 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 5,425 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.01% White, 0.80% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. 0.83% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,847 households, out of which 23.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.80% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.10% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.68.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 18.60% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 22.80% from 25 to 44, 29.80% from 45 to 64, and 22.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 94.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,397, and the median income for a family was $38,264. Males had a median income of $29,677 versus $19,529 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,221. About 7.80% of families and 11.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 13.00% of those age 65 or over.

Law, government, and politics

Government

The Clay County government is a constitutional body and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of North Carolina, most of which are determined by the state's General Assembly. The county is governed by an elected five member four-year term Board of Commissioners.[15]

Politics

In the North Carolina Senate, Clay County is part of the 50th Senate District and is represented by Republican Jim Davis. In the North Carolina House of Representatives, Clay County is part of the 120th District, represented by Republican Kevin Corbin.

No Democratic presidential candidate has won Clay County since Jimmy Carter in 1976. Bill Clinton in 1996 was the last Democratic candidate to reach forty percent of the county's vote. Before the Progressive Era, Clay County was uniformly Democratic, but since Charles Evans Hughes became the first Republican to carry the county in 1916, it has voted for the GOP in all but five elections.

United States presidential election results for Clay County, North Carolina[16]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	5,112	74.16%	1,699	24.65%	82	1.19%
2016	4,437	73.83%	1,367	22.75%	206	3.43%
2012	3,973	70.42%	1,579	27.99%	90	1.60%
2008	3,707	66.88%	1,734	31.28%	102	1.84%
2004	3,209	65.95%	1,628	33.46%	29	0.60%
2000	2,416	62.72%	1,361	35.33%	75	1.95%
1996	1,769	48.40%	1,462	40.00%	424	11.60%
1992	1,890	47.73%	1,600	40.40%	470	11.87%
1988	2,174	62.47%	1,289	37.04%	17	0.49%
1984	2,259	62.42%	1,340	37.03%	20	0.55%
1980	2,136	60.22%	1,324	37.33%	87	2.45%
1976	1,428	47.41%	1,569	52.09%	15	0.50%
1972	1,545	65.19%	797	33.63%	28	1.18%
1968	1,390	54.94%	847	33.48%	293	11.58%
1964	1,286	46.88%	1,457	53.12%	0	0.00%
1960	1,657	56.73%	1,264	43.27%	0	0.00%
1956	1,442	52.84%	1,287	47.16%	0	0.00%
1952	1,443	50.07%	1,439	49.93%	0	0.00%
1948	1,213	47.11%	1,307	50.76%	55	2.14%
1944	1,263	50.36%	1,245	49.64%	0	0.00%
1940	1,176	46.57%	1,349	53.43%	0	0.00%
1936	1,525	53.23%	1,340	46.77%	0	0.00%
1932	1,265	48.39%	1,341	51.30%	8	0.31%
1928	1,106	55.05%	903	44.95%	0	0.00%
1924	1,090	52.89%	953	46.24%	18	0.87%
1920	911	54.68%	755	45.32%	0	0.00%
1916	453	53.11%	400	46.89%	0	0.00%
1912	17	2.19%	372	47.94%	387	49.87%

Law and public safety

The Clay County sheriff's office is the sole policing agency for the county. The sheriff protects the court and county owned facilities, manages the jail, and provides patrol and detective services.

Communities

Town

• Hayesville (county seat and largest town), population 491 (2022)[17]

Unincorporated communities

• Brasstown
• Elf
• Tusquittee
• Warne

Townships

The county is divided into six townships: Brasstown comprises the westernmost township;

Hayesville is centrally located and home to the county seat;

Hiawassee, named after the major river in the region, is the smallest township, surrounding Lake Chatuge;

Shooting Creek is the easternmost township;

Sweetwater is a small township northwest of Hayesville; and

Tusquittee is one of the larger townships and the most northern.

See also

• List of counties in North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Clay County, North Carolina
• List of Highway Historical Markers in Clay County, North Carolina
• List of national forests of the United States

References

External links

• Official website
• Clay County History Wiki
• Smoky Mountain Sentinel, official website of newspaper in Clay County

На других языках

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[de] Clay County (North Carolina)

Clay County[1] ist ein County im Bundesstaat North Carolina der Vereinigten Staaten. Der Verwaltungssitz (County Seat) ist Hayesville, das nach einem Lokalpolitiker namens George Hayes benannt wurde.

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- [en] Clay County, North Carolina

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[ru] Клей (округ, Северная Каролина)

Округ Клей (англ. Clay County) располагается в США, штате Северная Каролина. Официально образован в 1861 году. По состоянию на 2010 год, численность населения составляла 10 587 человек. Получил своё наименование в честь американского политического и военного деятеля Генри Клея.

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