CLAY COUNTY

Clay County, Tennessee, is located on the western edge of the Upper Cumberland area of Tennessee. The county seat of Celina sits on the banks of the confluence of the Cumberland and Obey Rivers, both of which have had a big impact on the city and county.

About 7,800 people reside in Clay County, with just under 1,500 of those people living in Celina. The county has five civil districts. Each of those districts is represented by two members of the county legislative body (commissioners) and two school board members. Celina has a mayor and board of aldermen-type government.

Farming and the timber industry have been large components of the Clay County economy since its inception. The garment industry was the dominant economic force for the better part of 40 years, until the mid-1990’s. Today, Cumberland River Hospital and the Clay County Board of Education are the largest employers in the county.