Clay County, Iowa

Founding: 1858 (declared in 1851)
Parent county: Unorganized territory

Namesake: Henry Clay, Jr., Kentucky politician
Seat: Peterson (1860–1871); Spencer (1871–)

Land area: 567 square miles

Population (2020): 16,384

Population (historic): 1,523 (1870); 9,309 (1890); 12,766 (1910); 16,107 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1860–1900; 1910–1960; 1970s

Subdivisions: Ten cities; 16 townships

National Register listings: 10

Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 2,124 (25.8%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 48.4%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 2.8%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 3.8%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $2,293
Average outbuilding value (1930): $3,154
Average farmhouse size (1940): 6.7 rooms
Number of farms (1920): 1,769
Average farm size (1920): 162.6 acres
Sources of settlement: Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Germany, New York, and Denmark
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Spencer

Namesake: Unknown

Founding: 1859 (platting as Spencer Grove); 1859 (post office); 1880 (incorporation)

Population (2020): 11,325

Population (historic): 824 (1880); 3,095 (1900); 5,019 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1871–1900; 1910–1980; 1990s; 2010s
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 1,029 (18.6%)
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Outstanding Buildings

1. Gottlieb Barie House (c. 1880). 2520 320th Road. Meadow. Italianate.