Clay County, Indiana

Coordinates: 39°24′N 87°07′W / 39.40°N 87.11°W / 39.40; -87.11

Clay County, Indiana
Location in the state of Indiana
Indiana's location in the U.S.
Founded	1825
Named for	Henry Clay
Seat	Brazil
Largest city	Brazil
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	360.32 sq mi (933 km²) 357.54 sq mi (926 km²) 2.78 sq mi (7 km²), 0.77%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	26,890 75/sq mi (29.03/km²)
Congressional district	8th
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website	www.claycountyin.gov
Footnotes:   Indiana county number 11

Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 26,890.^[1] The county seat is Brazil^[2]. Clay County is included in the Terre Haute, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Clay County was formed in 1825. Its name is in honor of Henry Clay, a famous antebellum American statesman.

The first Courthouse was built in the newly platted town of Bowling Green in 1828, soon after Clay County was formed by the Indiana legislature. It was a two story structure of hand hewn logs.

By the late 1830’s Clay County had grown to the extent that the first Courthouse could no longer provide adequate facilities. Therefore a second Courthouse was constructed near the first Courthouse. This was a two story brick structure. This Courthouse served until destroyed by fire on the night of November 30, 1851.

Although some citizens believed Bowling Green was no longer the most practical or logical site for a new courthouse, the commissioners quickly decided to build the third courthouse on the site of the previous one in Bowling Green. Built of brick, at a cost of $11,000, and very similar to the previous courthouse, the new Courthouse began serving the county in the Fall of 1853.

By the 1860’s the towns of Harmony, Knightsville, and Brazil were growing rapidly, due in part to their location along the National Road, and also because of the many coal companies in that section of the county. An effort to move the county seat of government to a more central location, which had begun in the 1850’s, grew stronger creating controversy among citizens. In the 1860’s citizens in the northern section of Clay County became more organized in their efforts. In 1871 brothers Robert and John Stewart donated a tract of land along the National Road in Brazil for proposed site of the new courthouse. The sum of $5,300 was also raised by citizens in the area to entice the commissioners to move the seat of government from Bowling Green to Brazil. This amount was reportedly the value of the existing courthouse and grounds, thus defusing opponents argument that abandoning the present courthouse would be a waste of taxpayers money. The relocation efforts, which began in 1871, were challenged in the Supreme Court. The relocation was finally granted in 1876.

In 1912 John W. Gaddis, a prominent architect in Vincennes, Indiana, entered into a contract with the County Commissioners to design, plan, and oversee the construction of a new courthouse. The construction bid of W.H. Bailey and Charles A. Koemer of Louisville, Kentucky was accepted in 1912 with the cornerstone being laid in the fall of 1912. Gaddis had successfully completed several others: in Fairfield and Robinson, Illinois: Perryville, Missouri and two in Indiana, the Putnam County Courthouse in Greencastle (1905) and the Huntington County Courthouse (1906) in Huntington, which are also in Classical Revival mode.

The Clay County Courthouse built in 1913-1914, is one of the most historically and architecturally significant buildings in Brazil and Clay County, Indiana. Built in Classical Revival style of architecture, it is the only building in Clay County holding county government offices and records. It is also located along side the famed National Road (Cumberland Trail).The present Courthouse is the fifth Courthouse to serve the people of Clay County,

Geography

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 360.32 square miles (933.2 km²), of which 357.54 square miles (926.0 km²) (or 99.23%) is land and 2.78 square miles (7.2 km²) (or 0.77%) is water.^[3]

Cities and towns

Incorporated

Brazil Carbon Center Point Clay City

Harmony Knightsville Staunton

Unincorporated

Art Ashboro Asherville Bee Ridge Benwood Billtown Billville

Bowling Green Cardonia Cloverland Coalmont Cory Hoosierville Howesville

Perth Poland Pontiac Saline City Stearleyville Turner Twin Beach

Extinct

Calcutta Donaldsonville Prairie City Prattsville Mechanicsburg Wickville

Townships

Brazil Cass Dick Johnson Harrison

Jackson Lewis Perry Posey

Sugar Ridge Van Buren Washington

Adjacent counties

• Parke County (north)
• Putnam County (northeast)
• Owen County (southeast)
• Greene County (south)
• Sullivan County (southwest)
• Vigo County (west)

Transportation

Major highways

• Interstate 70
• U.S. Route 40
• Indiana State Road 42
• Indiana State Road 46
• Indiana State Road 48
• Indiana State Road 59

Airport

The county contains one public-use airport: Brazil Clay County Airport (0I2), serving Brazil, Indiana.^[4]

Climate and weather

Brazil, Indiana
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     2.5   36 19     2.3   42 24     3.7   54 33     4.1   66 43     4.8   76 52     4.3   84 61     4.9   87 65     4.5   85 63     3.1   79 56     3.1   68 45     4.3   53 36     3.5   40 25 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches Source: The Weather Channel[5]
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     65   2 -7     57   6 -4     94   12 1     104   19 6     121   24 11     108   29 16     124   31 18     114   29 17     78   26 13     77   20 7     108   12 2     89   4 -4 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in Brazil have ranged from a low of 19 °F (−7 °C) in January to a high of 87 °F (31 °C) in July, although a record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 109 °F (43 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.25 inches (57 mm) in February to 4.89 inches (124 mm) in July.^[5]

Government

See also: Government of Indiana

The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code.

County Council: The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes.^[6][7]

Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council, collecting revenue, and managing the day-to-day functions of the county government.^[6][7]

Court: The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is also elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state-level circuit court.^[7]

County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk. Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare a party affiliation and to be residents of the county.^[7]

Clay County is part of Indiana's 8th congressional district; Indiana Senate districts 37 and 39;^[8] and Indiana House of Representatives districts 43, 44 and 46.^[9]

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1830	1,616		—
1840	5,567		244.5%
1850	7,944		42.7%
1860	12,161		53.1%
1870	19,084		56.9%
1880	25,854		35.5%
1890	30,536		18.1%
1900	34,285		12.3%
1910	32,535		−5.1%
1920	29,447		−9.5%
1930	26,479		−10.1%
1940	25,365		−4.2%
1950	23,918		−5.7%
1960	24,207		1.2%
1970	23,933		−1.1%
1980	24,862		3.9%
1990	24,705		−0.6%
2000	26,556		7.5%
2010	26,890		1.3%
Sources: United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division[10] Census Quickfacts[1]

As of the census^[11] of 2000, there were 26,556 people, 10,216 households, and 7,437 families residing in the county. The population density was 74 people per square mile (29/km²). There were 11,097 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.38% White, 0.33% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. 0.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 30.7% were of American, 25.7% German, 10.8% English and 8.1% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 10,216 households out of which 33.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.70% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.20% were non-families. 23.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.10% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,865, and the median income for a family was $41,863. Males had a median income of $31,611 versus $21,593 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,364. About 6.40% of families and 8.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.30% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Clay County, Indiana

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Clay County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/18/18021.html. Retrieved 2011-09-17. 
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
3. ^ "Census 2010 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_counties_national.txt. Retrieved 2011-10-10. 
4. ^ Public and Private Airports, Clay County, Indiana
5. ^ ^{a b} "Monthly Averages for Brazil, Indiana". The Weather Channel. http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIN0058. Retrieved 2011-01-27. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Indiana Code. "Title 36, Article 2, Section 3". IN.gov. http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title36/ar2/ch3.html. Retrieved 2008-09-16. 
7. ^ ^{a b c d} Indiana Code. "Title 2, Article 10, Section 2". IN.gov. http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title3/ar10/ch2.pdf. Retrieved 2008-09-16. 
8. ^ "Indiana Senate Districts". State of Indiana. http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/3006.htm. Retrieved 2011-01-23. 
9. ^ "Indiana House Districts". State of Indiana. http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/3005.htm. Retrieved 2011-01-23. 
10. ^ Forstall, Richard L. (editor) (1996). Population of states and counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990 : from the twenty-one decennial censuses. United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division. pp. 50–53. ISBN 0-934213-48-8. http://books.google.com/books?id=Z12v1lrkv2IC&lpg=PA50&pg=PA50#v=onepage&q&f=false. 
11. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

• Clay County Interim Report by Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana