McKays, Ohio facts for kids
McKays is a small, unincorporated community located in Clinton County, Ohio, United States. An unincorporated community is a place that doesn't have its own local government, like a city or a town. Instead, it's usually part of a larger county.
The Story of McKays
McKays first began as "McKay's Station." It started to grow when a railroad line was built through the area. The railroad was very important because it connected McKays to other places.
How McKays Got Its Name
The community was named after a man named Alfred McKay. He was the original owner of the land where McKays is located. People often named places after important landowners or features nearby.
Life in Early McKays
Even though McKays was never officially planned out like a town, it was a busy spot because of the railroad. The railroad track here was long enough to hold 21 train cars. It also had a special side track for trains to wait or pass each other.
There were several important businesses and services in McKays:
- A grain elevator was used to store and load crops like corn and wheat onto trains.
- A coal yard provided coal, which was a main fuel source for homes and trains.
- A log loading area helped transport timber from nearby forests.
- A stock yard was where farm animals were gathered before being shipped by train.
- A grocery store provided food and supplies for the people living and working in the area.
The McKays Post Office
McKays even had its own post office! It was called "McKays Station" and opened in 1878. This meant people could send and receive mail right in their community. The post office stayed open for many years, until 1892.
