Clayton, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clayton, Georgia
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Main Street in downtown Clayton
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Location in Rabun County and the state of Georgia
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Georgia | |
| County | Rabun | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 3.39 sq mi (8.78 km2) | |
| • Land | 3.39 sq mi (8.77 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) | |
| Elevation | 1,926 ft (587 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,003 | |
| • Density | 591.38/sq mi (228.30/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
30525
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| Area code(s) | 706 | |
| FIPS code | 13-16656 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404066 | |
Clayton is a city in Rabun County, Georgia, United States. It is located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. In 2020, about 2,003 people lived there. Clayton is also the county seat of Rabun County.
Contents
History of Clayton
Early Beginnings: The Dividings
The area where Clayton now stands was once known as "the Dividings." This was because it was a meeting point for important trails used by the Cherokee tribe. In May 1775, an explorer named William Bartram traveled through this area.
Hundreds of years ago, the Cherokee homeland in northeast Georgia had many trails. The Dividings was where five major trails met. Today, these old trails have become the main roads for Clayton and the county, like U.S. 23/441 and U.S. 76.
Founding the City
European-American settlers started a town here in 1821. They called it Claytonsville. It was chosen to be the main town, or county seat, for Rabun County. In 1823, the town officially became a city and was renamed Clayton.
The city was named after Judge Augustin S. Clayton. He was a well-known lawyer and politician. Judge Clayton served in the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate. He also represented Georgia in the United States House of Representatives.
In 1824, the city bought about 67 acres of land. This land was used to create a space for a courthouse and the streets around it.
Modern Developments
A big change happened in 1904 when the Tallulah Falls Railway reached Clayton. This railway connected Clayton to Cornelia, Georgia. By 1907, it was extended to Franklin, North Carolina. This made travel and trade much easier for the town.
Since the 1920s, Clayton has had public water and sewer services. This helped keep everyone healthy. The water first came from springs on Buzzard Roost Mountain. Now, the city gets its water from Lake Rabun.
In 1936, Clayton had a lot of snow, about 30 inches! This was the most snow ever recorded in Georgia for one year.
Clayton in Movies and Books
Clayton has been a filming location for several movies. Part of Disney's classic film Old Yeller was filmed here in 1957. The movie Grizzly was also filmed in Clayton in 1975. Many local people even acted in the movie! Grizzly was a very successful independent movie for a few years.
The 2014 novel The Peripheral by William Gibson is also set in Clayton. This book imagines what Clayton might be like in the future.
Geography of Clayton
Clayton is located at the bottom of Black Rock Mountain, which is 3,640 feet tall. To its east is Screamer Mountain, about 3,000 feet tall. Many other mountains, between 2,500 and 3,500 feet high, surround the city.
The city of Clayton covers about 3.1 square miles, and it's all land. Downtown Clayton is about 1,925 feet above sea level. Some hills within the city are even higher, reaching over 2,200 feet.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 70 | — | |
| 1880 | 180 | 157.1% | |
| 1900 | 199 | — | |
| 1910 | 541 | 171.9% | |
| 1920 | 677 | 25.1% | |
| 1930 | 798 | 17.9% | |
| 1940 | 1,088 | 36.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,302 | 19.7% | |
| 1960 | 1,507 | 15.7% | |
| 1970 | 1,569 | 4.1% | |
| 1980 | 1,838 | 17.1% | |
| 1990 | 1,613 | −12.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,019 | 25.2% | |
| 2010 | 2,047 | 1.4% | |
| 2020 | 2,003 | −2.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 2,047 people living in Clayton. Most residents, about 74.5%, were White. About 1.4% were Black, 0.5% Native American, and 0.7% Asian. Around 20.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
In 2000, there were 2,019 people. About 84.55% were White, and 2.77% were African American. About 14.71% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Education in Clayton
Rabun County School District
The Rabun County School District serves students from pre-school all the way to twelfth grade. It has two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. The district has many teachers and over 2,221 students.
- Rabun County Elementary School
- Rabun County Primary School
- Rabun County Middle School
- Rabun County High School
Private Education Options
There are also private schools in the area:
- Rabun Gap Nacoochee School (You can find more info at: [1])
- Tallulah Falls School (You can find more info at: [2])
Camps for Young People
The area around Clayton is a popular spot for summer camps. These camps offer fun activities for young people.
- Camp Ramah Darom is located northwest of Clayton in the Persimmon Valley.
- Camp Rainey Mountain is about 4 miles southeast of Clayton.
- Camp Blue Ridge
Famous People from Clayton
Many interesting people have connections to Clayton:
- Mike Ciochetti – A stock car racer.
- Celestia Susannah Parrish – An important educator who is buried here.
- John H. Pitchford – A lawyer who later became a justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
- Tom Powers – Another stock car racer.
- Billy Redden – The actor who played the young banjo player in the movie Deliverance.
- Nancy Schaefer – A former Georgia State Senator.
- Lillian Smith (1897–1966) – A famous author and civil rights activist.
Images for kids
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Main Street in downtown Clayton
See also
In Spanish: Clayton (Georgia) para niños
