Clayton, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clayton, West Virginia
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 Clayton, West Virginia
Location in West Virginia
Clayton, West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Summers |
| Elevation | 2,034 ft (620 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 304 & 681 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1549630 |
Clayton is a small, unincorporated community in Summers County, West Virginia, United States. An unincorporated community means it's a group of homes or businesses without its own local government. People first settled here in 1813. Clayton used to have its own post office, which was open from 1879 to 1959.
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Where is Clayton Located?
Clayton is found at 37°43′24″N 80°43′44″W / 37.72333°N 80.72889°W. It sits in a mountain range called the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians. The community is about 2,034 feet (620 m) above sea level.
Mountains and Rivers Nearby
Clayton is south of Keeney Knob. This is the tallest mountain in Summers County, standing at 3,921 feet (1,195 m). Other mountains close by include Dempsey Mountain and Red Spring Mountain. Clayton is also located on the Righthand Fork of Hungart's Creek. This creek is a branch of the larger Greenbrier River.
Closest Towns and Services
The nearest post office to Clayton is in Pence Springs. This town is about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Clayton. Its ZIP code is 24962.
The closest official town is Alderson. Alderson is about 5.6 miles (9.0 km) east of Clayton. It is located in both Greenbrier and Monroe Counties. Clayton is also about 15.9 miles (25.6 km) east-northeast of Hinton. Hinton is the main town and county seat of Summers County.
A Look at Clayton's History
The very first land grant in Clayton was given in 1786. It went to Colonel James Graham, who was from Lowell.
Early Settlers and Community Life
The first people to settle in Clayton were Joseph Graham and his family. They arrived in 1813. Joseph Graham quickly built a gristmill in the community. A gristmill is a place where grain is ground into flour. This was the first mill in the area.
The community got its name in 1835. This happened when a balloonist named Richard Clayton landed nearby. He was from Cincinnati and had flown about 300-mile (480 km) in 9.5 hours. This flight set new records for ballooning in the United States. Richard Clayton stayed in the community for three days. Many local people came to see him.
In the 1850s, a building was constructed in Clayton. It served as both a church and a school for the community. The first settlers in Clayton mostly farmed for a living. However, the lumber industry became very important later on. This happened after the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway built a train line near the community.
The Clayton Post Office
Clayton's post office first opened on November 3, 1879. It was located at the site of Joseph Graham's original home. The first postmaster, or person in charge of the post office, was David Graham Ballengee.
A new building for the post office was built in 1892. David Graham Ballengee served as postmaster for a very long time, until 1939. His 59 years as postmaster made him the tenth-longest-serving postmaster in United States history! After him, his son, Homer Ballengee, took over. Homer served until the post office closed on March 31, 1959.
Getting Around Clayton
Clayton is served by two main county roads. These are Summers County Route 6 and Summers County Route 7. There are also several smaller county roads. These include Summers County Route 6/1, 7/11, 7/12, and 7/13.
State and Interstate Highways
The closest state highways to Clayton are West Virginia Route 3 and West Virginia Route 12. These roads run together, or concurrently, to the south and east of Clayton.
The nearest major highway is Interstate 64. You can find exits for this interstate in Sandstone and Green Sulphur Springs. These towns are to the northwest of Clayton.
Train Service
The closest train line to Clayton belongs to CSX. This line runs through Pence Springs. This same train line also carries Amtrak's Cardinal service. The closest stop for the Cardinal train is in Alderson.
