A History of Clay Center
1862 - A 320 acre tract of land was selected
for the town site of Clay Center.
1864 - The first school house in the Clay Center area was built.
1871 - The first newspaper, The Clay County Independent is established.
A ferry across the river first operated the same year.
1882 - The Clay Center Rescue Fire Department was organized.
1901 - The Union State Bank was established.
1901 - The Clay County Courthouse; listed in the National Register
of Historic Places, is built in Clay Center.
1903 - The county hospital was located in a three story
house.
1905 - Clay Center had a municipal power plant.
1907 - The Clay Center Telephone Company was organized.
1914 - Clay Center was home to the largest broom factory in the
state. It employed 35 people and produced 1,200 brooms per day.
1920’s - One of Clay Center's earliest industries was a
toy factory. Thirty-five types of metal toys were made by 60 employees.
1925 - Clay County Hospital opened in the building that is now the Clay County Museum.
1930's - Persons unable to pay their utility bills were given jobs creating Utility Park and the Clay Center Zoo.