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Clayton County Created
Claton County created out of parts of Henry and Fayette Counties to become the 125th county in Georgia. Clayton County is named for Augustin Smith Clayton, a Virginia native who moved with his family to Georgia as a child. He attended the University of Georgia and graduated in 1804. Clayton helped compile the law statutes of Georgia, served three terms as a judge of the Western Circuit, was a member of the Electoral College, and served in the U.S. Congress from 1831 to 1835. -
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Clayton County History
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Jonesboro (County Seat) obtains its corporate charter
Until 1858 Jonesboro lay in Fayette County on the Henry County line. As the seat of Clayton County, Jonesboro was a thriving small town until the Civil War (1861-65) brought an end to the old order. The town was virtually destroyed during the war due to Union raids and the Battle of Jonesboro. Recovery was slow, and as late as the 1890s ruins left from the war remained in the Main Street business district. Only a few antebellum buildings now survive. -
Rex Mill Bridge Built
Rex Mill Bridge was built in 1932 by Austin Brotheres Bridge Company out of Atlanta. Photo by Kevin J. Fitzgerald -
Beginning of the 1996 Olympic Games
Clayton County was the site of the 1996 Olympic Volleyball venue. The venue is now called Atlanta Beach and is part of the Clayton County Parks and Recreation Department.
