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Clay County
Clay County
County
	Clay County Courthouse in Celina
	Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee
	Tennessee's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 36°33′N 85°32′W / 36.55°N 85.54°W
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
Founded	1870
Named for	Henry Clay
Seat	Celina
Largest city	Celina
Area
• Total	259 sq mi (670 km2)
• Land	237 sq mi (610 km2)
• Water	23 sq mi (60 km2) 8.8%
Population (2020)
• Total	7,581
• Density	33/sq mi (13/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	6th
Website	dalehollowlake.org

Clay County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,581.^[2] Its county seat and only incorporated city is Celina.^[3] Clay County is named in honor of American statesman Henry Clay,^[4] member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century.

History

Clay County was formed in 1870 by combining pieces from surrounding Jackson and Overton counties.^[5] Secretary of State Cordell Hull's first law office (now a museum) was located in Clay County.

Clay County's early inhabitants farmed and worked the Cumberland River, which was the major method of transportation in the Cumberland area. There were many docks and ferry crossings throughout Clay County to transport local crops and livestock to major markets. The timber industry was a major employer throughout the 1800s and 1900s and provides many jobs today. Tobacco farming became important in the local area throughout the 1900s and many old tobacco barns are still standing. With the end of government subsidies and with foreign competition, tobacco farming is minimal. Cattle, poultry, and corn are the major agricultural influences today. Clay County is one of the top poultry-producing counties in Tennessee.

During the Civil War, many skirmishes took place up and down the Cumberland River to control the movement of barges laden with supplies. Local communities were split in their loyalties, with many families at odds with each other. Some of these animosities remain today between family groups.

The city of Celina is at the junction of the Obey and Cumberland rivers, and it was a major port during the steamboat years between Nashville and Burnside, Kentucky. Although the Celina ferry landing no longer exists, Celina still connects the north and south by highway. Butler's Landing was used as a storage depot with large warehouses owned and operated by the Butler family. The first Clay County Court meeting was held in a store near the river at Butler's Landing on March 6, 1871. Butler's Landing nearly became the county seat, but Celina won the vote by a narrow margin.

Clay County's rural location has restricted development and attraction of business and industry. This has resulted in the county having one of the highest unemployment rates annually in the state of Tennessee. The lack of jobs often results in the loss of educated young people who have limited opportunities locally. SR 52 has been upgraded to a 4-lane divided highway as part of the Corridor J project, which connects to I-40 in Cookeville, and work continues on developing a new industrial park within the Celina city limits. It is hoped this industrial park will help attract more jobs to the county. ^{[citation needed]}.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 259 square miles (670 km²), of which 237 square miles (610 km²) is land and 23 square miles (60 km²) (8.8%) is water.^[6] The Cumberland River flows through the center of the county from north to south, fed by the Obey River which flows through the city of Celina from its impoundment at Dale Hollow Lake, inundates much of the eastern part of the county.

Adjacent counties

State protected areas

Standing Stone State Forest (part)

Highways

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	6,987	—
1890	7,260	3.9%
1900	8,421	16.0%
1910	9,009	7.0%
1920	9,193	2.0%
1930	9,577	4.2%
1940	10,904	13.9%
1950	8,701	−20.2%
1960	7,289	−16.2%
1970	6,624	−9.1%
1980	7,676	15.9%
1990	7,238	−5.7%
2000	7,976	10.2%
2010	7,861	−1.4%
2020	7,581	−3.6%
U.S. Decennial Census^[7] 1790-1960^[8] 1900-1990^[9] 1990-2000^[10] 2010-2020^[11] 2020^[2]

2020 census

Clay County racial composition^[13]
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	7,202	95.0%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	76	1.0%
Native American	17	0.22%
Asian	5	0.07%
Pacific Islander	1	0.01%
Other/Mixed	150	1.98%
Hispanic or Latino	130	1.71%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 7,581 people, 3,039 households, and 2,002 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the census^[14] of 2000, there were 7,976 people, 3,379 households, and 2,331 families residing in the county. The 2005 Census Estimate placed the population at 7,992.^[15] The population density was 34 people per square mile (13 people/km²). There were 3,959 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (6.6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.75% White, 1.44% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 4.99% from two or more races. 1.35% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,379 households, out of which 27.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.70% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.00% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.50% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 27.60% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $23,958, and the median income for a family was $29,784. Males had a median income of $23,513 versus $16,219 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,320. About 14.30% of families and 19.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.40% of those under age 18 and 27.60% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

Celina (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

Pea Ridge

Ghost town

Willow Grove^[16]^[17]

Politics

Though a traditionally Democratic county like most of Middle Tennessee, Clay County has historically been more competitive compared to other counties in the region such as Stewart County. The county voted for GOP candidates in 1920, 1960, 1968, 1972, 1984 and 1988, and Herbert Hoover in 1928, Ronald Reagan in 1980, and George W. Bush in 2004 all came within less than 2 percentage points of winning Clay County. Like almost all of Tennessee, however, the county has turned solidly Republican in the 2010s.

United States presidential election results for Clay County, Tennessee^[18]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	3,117	82.90%	614	16.33%	29	0.77%
2020	2,733	77.95%	735	20.96%	38	1.08%
2016	2,141	73.32%	707	24.21%	72	2.47%
2012	1,747	61.95%	1,037	36.77%	36	1.28%
2008	1,676	55.98%	1,248	41.68%	70	2.34%
2004	1,650	49.15%	1,675	49.90%	32	0.95%
2000	1,468	42.65%	1,931	56.10%	43	1.25%
1996	1,108	36.86%	1,559	51.86%	339	11.28%
1992	1,072	33.23%	1,922	59.58%	232	7.19%
1988	1,291	51.78%	1,183	47.45%	19	0.76%
1984	1,338	50.80%	1,281	48.63%	15	0.57%
1980	1,344	48.61%	1,376	49.76%	45	1.63%
1976	982	36.67%	1,671	62.40%	25	0.93%
1972	982	59.01%	648	38.94%	34	2.04%
1968	814	42.13%	667	34.52%	451	23.34%
1964	622	34.21%	1,196	65.79%	0	0.00%
1960	1,098	52.14%	976	46.34%	32	1.52%
1956	902	48.31%	948	50.78%	17	0.91%
1952	842	46.24%	968	53.16%	11	0.60%
1948	703	36.98%	1,146	60.28%	52	2.74%
1944	650	46.30%	754	53.70%	0	0.00%
1940	537	29.42%	1,288	70.58%	0	0.00%
1936	378	35.69%	661	62.42%	20	1.89%
1932	361	30.18%	819	68.48%	16	1.34%
1928	556	48.99%	576	50.75%	3	0.26%
1924	488	41.67%	668	57.05%	15	1.28%
1920	1,044	57.14%	772	42.26%	11	0.60%
1916	578	44.98%	689	53.62%	18	1.40%
1912	440	35.12%	718	57.30%	95	7.58%

References

^ Origins Of Tennessee County Names, Tennessee Blue Book 2005-2006, pages 508-513.
^ ^a ^b "2020 Census Data". data.census.gov.
^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 83.
^ Corinne McLerran, "Clay County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: June 24, 2013.
^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 5, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
^ Based on 2000 census data
^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
^ Missing Title (Report). Archived from the original on September 21, 2011.
^ "Willow Grove -- Clay County TN Celebration". clayco150.com. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
^ Watts, Jennifer (May 18, 2021). "Underwater Ghost Towns of Tennessee". Tennessee State Museum. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 10, 2018.