|
Clay County, organized in the fall of 1858, is named after Lieutenant
Colonel Henry Clay Jr. of the Mexican War and not the excellent clay that
is found in the county, which is used in the making of bricks.
Before its organization Clay County was attached to Woodbury County for
judicial and civil reasons. After its independence was declared, an
election was held on October 12, 1858. It was held at the home of A. S.
Mead and its purpose was the election of county officials. Of the 18 men
who voted, 14 were elected to an office.
Those offices were kept in the homes of the officers until 1859. At
this time A. W. Hubbard, Judge of the Fourth Judicial District, authorized
a commission to locate a county seat. On July 16, 1859 the commission
chose the present site of Spencer. But, due to the fact that Spencer was
unimproved and no settler lived within a 10-mile radius, it was refused by
the residents of Clay.
In May 1860 the county judge received a petition asking that the county
seat be located at Peterson. An election was held, and all 10 participants
voted in favor of Peterson. Soon afterwards a courthouse was built at a
cost of $6,000.
The county seat remained in Peterson until 1871. In 1871 the town of
Spencer was formally laid out, and since it was more centrally located
than Peterson, the question of moving the county seat was asked again. It
was answered in an election held in October of that same year; Spencer won
the county seat by a margin of 159 votes.
The first courthouse was built by the residents of Spencer. They formed
a stock company and sold shares. Those who could not afford a share
offered their labor. When the building was completed, it was sold to the
city for $1,333. A second building was built in 1884 at different
location. It was criticized by the residents as being plain and boring. It
was the best that the county could do because they were held to $5,000 by
the law.
It was decided in 1900 that the county needed a new courthouse. The
structure was erected on the same site as the second and was ready for
occupation in September 1901. No formal dedication was held: the doors
were just opened and business continued. This building is no comparison to
the second. Costing $60,000, $3,000 on marble alone, it is a beautiful
structure.
The population of
Clay County increased
approximately 30% since the 1901 Courthouse was completed. So in 1979, the
Board of Supervisors decided to renovate the existing courthouse and
construct an administration building. The motion passed in August and $2.1
million was approved for the two projects. A dedication ceremony was held
on September 26, 1982, and Clay County now has two buildings of which be
proud.
-from History Of Clay County,
1986.
|
