Clay County, North Carolina
| Clay County, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
 Location in the U.S. state of North Carolina |
|
 North Carolina's location in the U.S. |
|
| Founded | 1861 |
| Named for | Henry Clay |
| Seat | Hayesville |
| Largest town | Hayesville |
| Area | |
| • Total | 221 sq mi (572 km2) |
| • Land | 215 sq mi (557 km2) |
| • Water | 5.9 sq mi (15 km2), 2.7% |
| Population | |
| • (2010) | 10,587 |
| • Density | 49/sq mi (19/km²) |
| Congressional district | 11th |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website | www |
Clay County is a county located in the far western part of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,587. Its county seat is Hayesville.
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. 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.
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.
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