Note: This is NOT the official web site of Clay County or of any county officials; it is an educational web site about the history of the county courthouse and the county itself.  For the address and phone number of the courthouse and county officials, see the NaCO web page for Clay County, linked below: Address and Phone Number: See NaCO web page for Clay County Location: Fort Gaines Date Built: 1871-73 Architectural Style: Italian Renaissance Revival/Neoclassical Revival/Beaux Arts Classicism Designer: Vernacular (Greek Revival influence)

Other Information: The 1954 law creating Clay County authorized the justices of the county's first inferior court to provide for erection of a courthouse and jail. However, for the next two decades, it is not clear if a courthouse was actually built or whether the county instead rented space. In 1869 and 1870, local grand juries recommended that a county courthouse be built, and in 1870, the General Assembly authorized Clay County to hold a referendum on borrowing money to build a courthouse (Ga. Laws 1870, p. 450). Voters agreed, and construction began in 1871. Completed in 1873, the Clay County courthouse is still in use today. County Courthouse Historical Marker: Click here County History: Clay County was created from portions of Early and Randolph counties by an act of the General Assembly approved Feb. 16, 1854 (Ga. Laws 1853-54, p. 292). [Click here for a legal description of Clay County's original boundaries.] Georgia's 110th county was named for former U.S. Representative, U.S. Secretary of State, and U.S. Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky. Clay, who died in June 1852, is probably best remembered for his role in securing congressional approval of the Compromise of 1850, which dealt with the divisive issue of allowing slavery in the U.S.'s western territories. County Seat: The 1854 legislation creating Clay County authorized the justices of the county's first inferior court to select a site to serve as county seat and to provide for erection of public buildings. The act further provided that until a county seat was selected, county elections and business be conducted in Fort Gaines. Subsequently, the inferior court judges formally designated Fort Gaines as Clay County's seat of government. The town originated as a military fort built in April 1814 at the end of the Creek Indian War. The military outpost was located on a bluff overlooking the Chattahoochee River at the northern boundary of Creek lands ceded to Georgia in the Treaty of Fort Jackson in 1814. The fort was named for Gen. Edmund Gaines (1777-1849), a Virginia military officer noted for his service in the War of 1812.. Fort Gaines fell within the boundaries of Early County, which was created from the Creek ceded lands in Dec. 1818.. The General Assembly incorporated Fort Gaines as a town on Dec. 14, 1830 (Ga. Laws 1830, p. 217). Maps Historical Maps of Clay County Georgia DOT Map of Clay County, pdf (471 K) Georgia DOT Map of Clay County, gif (231 K) USGS Topographical Map of Clay County Size of County (Total Area): 217.0 square miles County Rank in Total Area: 135th out of 159 Population: Clay County 3,357 (2000) Clay County Historical Population Profile City of Fort Gaines 1,110 (2000)   © Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia Go to Georgia County Courthouses Contents page