About Our County

Facts and History

• Clay County was named after Henry Clay, a prominent Kentucky statesman and U.S. Secretary of State.
• The county’s present location and boundaries were established on February 16, 1867, by an act of the Nebraska territorial legislature.
• Although authorized as a county in 1855, Clay County was officially organized on September 11, 1871, after the acting governor called for an election.
• Early settlement began around 1857, with John B. Weston recognized as the first settler, building a log cabin near the Little Blue River.
• Two railroads arrived in the 1870s, bringing waves of immigrants, including German-from-Russia communities and British and Irish homesteaders.
• Clay County’s early years were marked by Indian raids in 1864 and 1866, which temporarily drove settlers out of the area.
• The first county election occurred on October 14, 1871, establishing its initial governing officials.
• The original county seat was Sutton, but after several fiercely contested elections among Sutton, Harvard, Fairfield, and Clay Center, the seat was permanently moved to Clay Center in 1879.
• Early administrative divisions included three precincts in 1871, later reorganized into four in 1872, and ultimately into sixteen townships by 1875, several retaining their historic names today.
• The county spans 574 square miles, with only 1.2 square miles of water, making it overwhelmingly agricultural land.
• By 2020, the county population reached 6,104 residents.
• Clay County includes numerous historic communities—some now small or extinct—often originating as post office settlements in rural homesteading areas.
• The county played a significant role in Nebraska’s early agricultural development, with early farms producing grains and supporting livestock operations.