Clayton, Georgia

The area that eventually became Clayton was called the Dividings because it sat at the intersection of three crucial Cherokee trails. Explorer and naturalist William Bartram came through the Dividings in May 1775 while exploring what was later organized as Rabun County. Much later, after Clayton had grown to include the Dividings, two of the old Cherokee trails were improved as the main roads for Clayton and the county: U.S. 23/441 and U.S. 76.

For hundreds of years, the homeland of the Cherokees, northeast Georgia, was crisscrossed with Indian trails. The Dividings was the intersection of five major trails on the land that eventually became Rabun County. Centuries later, Clayton was founded at this location, and the five trails today are Highways 23/441 North and South, Highway 76 East and West, and Warwoman Road.

Claytonsville was founded by European-American settlers in 1821 as the seat of Rabun County.{{cite book | URL=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/c.pdf | title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=45 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}} In 1823, the town was incorporated and renamed Clayton.{{cite book | URL=https://books.google.com/books?id=REtEXQNWq6MC&pg=PA224 | title=Historical Gazetteer of the United States | publisher=Routledge | date=May 13, 2013 | access-date=30 November 2013 | author=Hellmann, Paul T. | pages=224| isbn=978-1135948597 }} It was named after a prominent jurist and congressman, Judge Augustin S. Clayton, who served in both the Georgia House of Representatives and Georgia Senate before being elected as a Representative from Georgia, serving two terms from 1831 to 1835.

In 1824, {{convert|67|acre|m2}} were purchased from Solomon Beck for $150, and city representatives laid out a site for a courthouse and the surrounding streets.

In 1904, a significant development took place with the completion of the Tallulah Falls Railway to Clayton from Cornelia, Georgia. This railway was extended to Franklin, North Carolina, by 1907, marking a significant step in Clayton's transportation infrastructure. The town has been equipped with public water and sanitary sewer service since the 1920s, a testament to its commitment to public health and well-being. Initially, the water supply was sourced from two springs on nearby Buzzard Roost Mountain; today, it utilizes Lake Rabun as its water supply, showcasing the town's adaptability and resourcefulness.

In 1936, Clayton recorded {{convert|30.0|in|mm}} of snowfall, the highest annual total for anywhere in Georgia.[http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/ussc/SCoptions11?state=Georgia&short=09 Georgia Snowfall Extremes Table][http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/ussc/SCopTab2?state=Georgia&station=CLAYTON%201%20SSW&coopid=091982&short=09¶m=10 Top Ten Snowiest Years in Clayton]

Part of Disney's Old Yeller was shot in Clayton in 1957. Grizzly was filmed in Clayton, with many residents cast in supporting roles. Production began the week before Thanksgiving 1975, with shooting continuing for about six weeks. After release in May 1976, Grizzly became the most financially successful independent motion picture to date—a record it held for more than two years until John Carpenter's Halloween hit theaters in October 1978.

Much of William Gibson's 2014 novel The Peripheral is set in Clayton in the not-too-distant future.

Over the years, many films have been made in the Clayton and Tallulah Falls area.

Clayton is at the southern base of 3,640-foot Black Rock Mountain. Immediately to its east is 3,000-foot Screamer Mountain. Other Blue Ridge Mountain peaks between 2,500 and 3,500 feet surround the city.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Clayton has a total area of {{convert|3.1|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land. Its downtown is at {{convert|1925|ft|m}}, and a number of hilltops in the city limits exceed 2,200 feet.

{{Weather box

|location = Clayton, Georgia (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)

|single line = Y

| Jan record high F = 79

| Feb record high F = 82

| Mar record high F = 89

| Apr record high F = 91

| May record high F = 94

| Jun record high F = 99

| Jul record high F = 102

| Aug record high F = 99

| Sep record high F = 98

| Oct record high F = 92

| Nov record high F = 82

| Dec record high F = 79

| year record high F = 102

| Jan high F = 50.2

| Feb high F = 54.0

| Mar high F = 61.0

| Apr high F = 69.7

| May high F = 76.4

| Jun high F = 82.5

| Jul high F = 85.4

| Aug high F = 84.3

| Sep high F = 79.3

| Oct high F = 70.6

| Nov high F = 60.8

| Dec high F = 52.9

| year high F = 68.9

| Jan mean F = 40.0

| Feb mean F = 42.7

| Mar mean F = 49.0

| Apr mean F = 57.0

| May mean F = 64.8

| Jun mean F = 72.0

| Jul mean F = 75.1

| Aug mean F = 74.3

| Sep mean F = 69.0

| Oct mean F = 58.8

| Nov mean F = 48.8

| Dec mean F = 42.4

| year mean F = 57.8

| Jan low F = 29.7

| Feb low F = 31.5

| Mar low F = 37.0

| Apr low F = 44.4

| May low F = 53.2

| Jun low F = 61.5

| Jul low F = 64.9

| Aug low F = 64.2

| Sep low F = 58.6

| Oct low F = 47.0

| Nov low F = 36.7

| Dec low F = 31.8

| year low F = 46.7

| Jan record low F = −11

| Feb record low F = −4

| Mar record low F = 3

| Apr record low F = 12

| May record low F = 26

| Jun record low F = 36

| Jul record low F = 45

| Aug record low F = 40

| Sep record low F = 27

| Oct record low F = 18

| Nov record low F = 5

| Dec record low F = −4

| year record low F = −11

|precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 6.76

| Feb precipitation inch = 5.76

| Mar precipitation inch = 6.28

| Apr precipitation inch = 5.71

| May precipitation inch = 5.08

| Jun precipitation inch = 6.27

| Jul precipitation inch = 5.34

| Aug precipitation inch = 6.43

| Sep precipitation inch = 5.74

| Oct precipitation inch = 5.35

| Nov precipitation inch = 5.97

| Dec precipitation inch = 7.04

| year precipitation inch = 71.73

| Jan snow inch = 0.9

| Feb snow inch = 0.6

| Mar snow inch = 0.1

| Apr snow inch = 0.0

| May snow inch = 0.0

| Jun snow inch = 0.0

| Jul snow inch = 0.0

| Aug snow inch = 0.0

| Sep snow inch = 0.0

| Oct snow inch = 0.0

| Nov snow inch = 0.0

| Dec snow inch = 0.8

| year snow inch = 2.4

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

| Jan precipitation days = 10.8

| Feb precipitation days = 9.8

| Mar precipitation days = 11.8

| Apr precipitation days = 9.9

| May precipitation days = 10.5

| Jun precipitation days = 11.9

| Jul precipitation days = 13.5

| Aug precipitation days = 12.9

| Sep precipitation days = 10.1

| Oct precipitation days = 8.1

| Nov precipitation days = 9.0

| Dec precipitation days = 11.2

| year precipitation days = 129.5

| unit snow days = 0.1 in

| Jan snow days = 0.4

| Feb snow days = 0.4

| Mar snow days = 0.2

| Apr snow days = 0.0

| May snow days = 0.0

| Jun snow days = 0.0

| Jul snow days = 0.0

| Aug snow days = 0.0

| Sep snow days = 0.0

| Oct snow days = 0.0

| Nov snow days = 0.0

| Dec snow days = 0.5

| year snow days = 1.5

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=gsp

| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = May 24, 2021}}

{{cite web

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00091982&format=pdf

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| title = Station: Clayton 1 SSW, GA

| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020)

| access-date = May 24, 2021}}

}}

Clayton is governed by a mayor and a five-member city council.

As of 2025, the mayor is Mayor Pro Tem Stacy Fountain and the councilmembers are Tony Allen, Amanda Harrold, Sarah Gillespie,and Althea Bleckley.

The City Manager is Trudy Crunkleton.

{{US Census population

|1870= 70

|1880= 180

|1900= 199

|1910= 541

|1920= 677

|1930= 798

|1940= 1088

|1950= 1302

|1960= 1507

|1970= 1569

|1980= 1838

|1990= 1613

|2000= 2019

|2010= 2047

|2020= 2003

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}

}}

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 2,047 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 74.5% White, 1.4% Black, 0.5% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% from some other race and 1.9% from two or more races. 20.8% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,019 people, 816 households, and 497 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|653.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,006 housing units at an average density of {{convert|325.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 84.55% White, 2.77% African American, 0.89% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 9.41% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.71% of the population.

There were 816 households, out of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.79.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.2% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 23.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,600, and the median income for a family was $36,164. Males had a median income of $25,823 versus $18,304 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,977. About 7.9% of families and 14.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.

{{main|Rabun County School District}}

The Rabun County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school.[http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=111&PID=62&PTID=69&CountyId=719&T=0&FY=2009 Georgia Board of Education]{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Retrieved June 25, 2010. The district has 140 full-time teachers and over 2,221 students.[http://www.school-stats.com/GA/RABUN/RABUN_COUNTY.html School Stats], Retrieved June 25, 2010.

• Rabun County Elementary School
• Rabun County Primary School
• Rabun County Middle School
• Rabun County High School

Rabun Gap Nacoochee School

https://www.rabungap.org/

Tallulah Falls School

https://www.tallulahfalls.org/

The area around Clayton has long been the location for a number of camps for young people, mostly operated during the summertime.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

• Camp Ramah Darom is located in the Persimmon Valley northwest of Clayton.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ramahdarom.org/|title=Ramah Darom - A Jewish Overnight Camp With Year-Round Family-Friendly Programs and Retreat Center.|website=Ramah Darom|language=en-US|access-date=2018-02-13}}{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}
• Camp Rainey Mountain is located {{convert|4|mi|km|0}} southeast of Clayton.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}
• [https://www.blueridgecamp.com/ Camp Blue Ridge]{{Cite web|url=https://www.blueridgecamp.com/|title=Georgia Summer Camp {{!}} Sleepaway Camp {{!}} Residential Camp|website=Camp Blue Ridge|language=en-US|access-date=2018-02-13}}

• Mike Ciochetti – stock car racer
• Celestia Susannah Parrish – educator, is buried here
• John H. Pitchford – lawyer admitted to the bar in Clayton, later moved to Indian Territory, where he became a justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 1923
• Tom Powers – stock car racer
• Billy Redden – actor who played the young banjo player in the film Deliverance (1972)
• Nancy Schaefer – Georgia State Senator
• Lillian Smith (1897–1966) – author and civil rights activist

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• {{official website}}

{{Rabun County, Georgia}}

{{Georgia county seats}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Cities in Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:Cities in Rabun County, Georgia

Category:Populated places established in 1823

Category:County seats in Georgia (U.S. state)