Historic Courtroom
Typewriter Desk
The first commercial typewriters were introduced in 1874, just a year after the Clay County Courthouse opened. This desk as remained in the courthouse throughout the years and appears to be from the early 1900s.
Courthouse Hosts Pair of Nobel Peace Prize winners
Among so many other historic events, the iconic Clay County Courthouse in downtown Celina has hosted a pair of Nobel Peace Prize winners through the years. In fact, these two distinguished statesmen were in the Clay County Courthouse many times in their careers...
Courthouse Contractor
D.L. Dow, Courthouse Contractor D.L. Dow of Cookeville, Tennessee, won the contract to build the courthouse in 1872, and the contract price was $9,999.00 with a completion date scheduled for Oct. 1, 1873. Dow completed the Clay County courthouse in 1873. Dow built...
Gov. Roberts Visit
Governor Albert Houston Roberts (July 4, 1868 – June 25, 1946) was an American politician, educator and jurist. He served as the 33rd governor of Tennessee from 1919 to 1921, having previously served as a state court judge and as principal of the Alpine Institute. He...
Creation of Clay County in 1870
The Arnell Law of 1865, a franchise bill, stripped all former Confederates of the right to vote. For Confederate soldiers, the disenfranchisement was to last five years. For Confederate leaders, it was to be a fifteen year wait. The plan also made the issuance of...
1876 Tennessee Map
About this Item Title Colton's map of the State of Tennessee. Contributor Names G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. Created / Published New York, 1876. Repository Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA
Brief History of Celina
The land on which the original town of Celina is situated was established as a town site in 1832 and was incorporated on Feb. 2, 1848. Celina received its name in honor of the daughter of Moses Fiske, a prominent educator in the area. The Union Army burned the old...
Whittling
Whittling on the Courthouse lawn was a time honored tradition in Clay County for many years. The Clay County Pictorial History includes some wonderful photographs of men sitting on benches outside the Courthouse, whittling away. Some of the whittlers listed include...