Clay County, Illinois

Founding: 1824
Parent counties: Crawford, Fayette, and Wayne

Namesake: Henry Clay, Kentucky politician
Seat: Maysville (1825–1841); Louisville (1841–)

Land area: 468 square miles

Population (2020): 13,288

Population (historic): 755 (1830); 4,289 (1850); 15,875 (1870); 19,553 (1900); 16,155 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1830–1900; 1930s; 1970s; 1990s

Subdivisions: One city; five villages; 12 townships

Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 998 (15.5%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 25.5%
Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940): 3.6%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 12.4%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 11.1%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $784
Average outbuilding value (1930): $476

Average farmhouse size (1940): 5 rooms
Number of farms (1920): 2,423
Average farm size (1920): 99.1 acres
Sources of settlement: Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky
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Louisville

Namesake: Crawford Lewis, owner of the city site

Founding: 1838 (platting); 1839 (post office); 1867 (incorporation)

Population (2020): 1,136

Population (historic): 313 (1860); 514 (1880); 646 (1900); 803 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1860–1870; 1880–1950; 1960–1980; 1990s
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 72 (12.8%)
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Outstanding Buildings

1. Philip Weidner Farm (c. 1880). Hurricane Creek Road, north of Bucktown Lane. Pixley. Romanesque. Razed.

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