(Clay County, Alabama is a beautiful place to take a vacation. With Cheaha State Park, Lake Wedowee and the Alabama Gold Camp all in the county, there is plenty to do. Check out upcoming events including the fair Oct. 19, 20, 21)
Clay County is home to parts of Cheaha State Park in the Talladega National Forest and Lake Wedowee on the eastern boundary. Outdoor adventures abound in Clay County and the surrounding area.
Lake Wedowee
The Pinhoti Trail system weaves its way through the Talladega National Forest to Mt. Cheaha, the highest point in Alabama. Hikers along the trail may spy some of the local wildlife, including whitetail deer, wild turkey, and the rare bald eagle.
Pinhoti Trail
Cheaha State Park
Clay County was created by the legislature December 7, 1866, from Randolph and Talladega counties. It bears the name of Henry Clay, the distinguished Kentucky statesman, and Whig leader.
View from Cheaha State Park
The county is located in the east-central part of the state, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It encompasses 605 square miles. The Talladega National Forest is located in the western part of the county. The county seat is located in Ashland. Other communities include Lineville and Mellow Valley.
The act of establishment named James L. Barnhill, A. A. West, H. A. Manning and W. J. Pearce as commissioners to hold an election on March 4, 1867, to elect the authorized county officers, and also to hold an election for county site.
The town of Lineville was named as the place of holding the courts until a suitable court house could be ejected. As a result of the contest, a small place was selected, to which the name of Ashland was given, so called for the home of Mr. Clay, for whom the county had been named.
Gold has been found in Lineville, Alabama where Alabama gold camp is located
Paving at Courthouse in Ashland, Clay County, Alabama 1934
The officers elected were James L. Williams, probate judge; Wm. D. Haynes, clerk of the circuit court and W. L. Dick, sheriff.
Clay County was formed as the citizens had a difficult time reaching the county seats of Wedowee in Randolph County because of the river to the east and Talladega was difficult to reach because of the intervening mountains. Even today, Clay County is the only county in Alabama to have no US Highways in its boundaries.
Last Creek lands to be ceded
The territory is included in the Creek lands last to be ceded, March 24, 1832 and the Upper Creek towns of Anati tchapko, a Hillabl village on a northern tributary of Hillabi Creek; Hillabi on Koufadi Creek; ‘Laundshi Apala, 15 miles above Hillabi; and Uktaha-Sa’ai a branch of Hillabi town, were all in its boundaries. Some of the former town sites can be identified . A stone mound is recorded in sec. 28 T. 19. S., R. 7 E., as well as ancient mica quarries. Stone pipes found throughout the locality show large admixtures of mica, and many objects of granite are noted.
Post Offices and Towns.—Revised to July 1, 1917, from U. S. Official Postal Guide. (Numbers indicate the number of rural routes from that office.)
- Ashland (ch)-5
- Crawford—2
- Clairmont Springs
- Delta—3
- Hollins—1
- Lineville—4
- Millerville—3
- Pyriton—2
- Quenelda
Delegates to Constitutional Conventions.
- 1867—Thomas Adams.
- 1875—J. H. White.
- 190l—E. A. Phillips
Senators
- 1868—Green T. McAfee.
- 1871-2—G. T. McAfee.
- l1872-3—A. Cunningham.
- 1873—A. Cunningham.
- 1874.5—A. Cunningham.
- 1875-6—A. Cunningham.
- 1876-7—M. G. Slaughter.
- 1878-9—P. N. Duncan.
- 1880-1—P. N. Duncan,
- 1882-3—Merritt Street.
- 1884-5—Merritt Street.
- 1886-7—Cecil Browne.
- 1888-9—Cecil Browne.
- 1890-1—W. M. Lackey.
- 1892-3—W. M. Lackey.
- 1894-5—H. L. McElderry.
- 1896-7—Hugh L. McElderry.
- 1898-9—John “R. McCain.
- 1899 (Spec.)—John R. McCain.
- 1900-01—J. R. McCain.
- 1903—Walter Scott Smith.
- 1907—IV M. White.
- 1907 (Spec.)—D. M. White.
- 1909—D. M. White.
- 1911—W. B. Merrill.
- 1915—J. R. McCain.
- 1919—O. T. Smith.
Representatives.
- 1870-1—J. H. White.
- 1868—T. W. Newsom.
- 1869-70—T. W. Newsom.
- 1871-2—J. H. White.
- 1872-3—J. H. White.
- 1873—J. H. White.
- 1874-5—James D. Barren.
- 1875-6—James D. Barron.
- 1876-7—L. A. Gibson.
- 1878-9—J. M. Kennedy.
- 1880-1—T. W. Newsom.
- 1882-3—J. D. Carmichael.
- 1884-5—Wm. Ingram.
- 1886-7—W. C. Simmons.
- 1888-9—J. A. J. Nelson.
- 1890-1—T. H. Howie.
- 1892-3—Robert D. Evans.
- 1894-5—J. C. Manning.
- 1896-7—D. M. Carmichael.
- 1899 (Spec.)—H. Clay Knight.
- 1899 (Spec.)—H. Clay Knight.
- 1900-01—J. D. Carmichael.
- 1903—William H. Preston.
- 1907—J. D. Carmichael.
- 1907 (Spec.)—J. D. Carmichael.
- 1909 (Spec.)—J. D. Carmichael.
- 1911—W. H. Preston.
- 1915—W. R. Pruett.
- 1919—F. J. Ingram.
SOURCES
- History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography,Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie Bankhead Owen S. J. Clarke publishing Company, 192, Vol. I
- Alabama Gold camp
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About Donna R Causey
Donna R. Causey, resident of Alabama, was a teacher in the public school system for twenty years. When she retired, Donna found time to focus on her lifetime passion for historical writing. She developed the websites www.alabamapioneers and www.daysgoneby.me All her books can be purchased at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. She has authored numerous genealogy books. RIBBON OF LOVE: A Novel Of Colonial America (TAPESTRY OF LOVE) is her first novel in the Tapestry of Love about her family where she uses actual characters, facts, dates and places to create a story about life as it might have happened in colonial Virginia. Faith and Courage: Tapestry of Love (Volume 2) is the second book and the third FreeHearts: A Novel of Colonial America (Book 3 in the Tapestry of Love Series) Discordance: The Cottinghams (Volume 1) is the continuation of the story. . For a complete list of books, visit Donna R Causey
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Love it!
God’s country.
Cary Baisden
ALABAMA THE BEAUTIFUL ! 🙂
been there it is beautiful
Formerly Talladega County until 1866…
Home sweet home! And the Gold Camp is actually in Cragford.
Who knew it was so special whe we were kids. We pushed our bikes up the mountain for the thrill of riding down.
Never new of a gold camp
Connie Vinson Mackin you might want to read this.
Why?
I live here..it is Awesome… Unless you like city life..not for you ..LOL
Its pretty and interesting. You and me should go there when it gets Spring. I wish we would start doing something together like that. There will come a day that we won’t be able to and I would like to have the time with you and the memories to have
Chelle Carp our relatives are from that area. And no city life isn’t really our thing lol
Where are you located ?
Corinth Mississippi. My sister, Freeda Vinson McDowell , sent this link to me, lives in Huntsville.
Love Cheaha!
Born and raised in Clay County.Spent lots of time at Cheaha.
As a member of the Clay County Harris’, thanks for posting this article. The Gold Camp is a great place to pan and enjoy a wonderful escape in nature. #Alabama200
Thanks for spotlighting the interesting areas of Talladega, Sylacauga, and there about. I was born and raised in the area and it is beautiful and wonderful, even with the backing up of the Coosa River. When you hear the names of all these places, it is obvious the Native American influence and you know they occupied these areas, at one time. Keep up your good work at unearthing the history of Alabama.
I have sat on the edge of that cliff many times in the past, the hike to get to it is beautiful.
Grew up in Corinth/Cragford and never heard of a Gold Camp. Goldville yes, but did not know we had a gold camp just down the road. Love this county, no matter where I live Clay county will always be a place I call home.
The highest point that includes Bunker Tower at Mt. Cheaha is actually in Cleburne County.
Home of my father’s kin since the late 1700s. Watts, Shirey, Sides, and offshoots of those.