Clayton, Ohio: Through the Years...


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clayton1926.jpg (574876 bytes) Clayton, originally named Salem, was platted in 1816 and grew rapidly until bypassed by the National Road and the railroad.  The town was home to many businesses including a distillery and warehouse owned by the Turner and Heck families.  Hamilton Turner, local entrepreneur, continued to live in the town after the distillery closed in 1867 and owned much property.  From 1906 until 1922, Clayton was a stop on the Dayton-Northern Traction Line, which connected Dayton with Union City and ran along Salem Pike.  This led to a thriving trade with Dayton and Brookville.  In later years, the village stopped growing.  When residents of rural Randolph Township voted to merge with Clayton, effective in 1998, Clayton acquired the unincorporated parts of the township and achieved city status.
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  High St. Salem. The village of Salem was renamed Clayton
   
 
  Clayton's Livery  1920
   
 
  The Kern Motel north side US Route 40
   
 
  The Turner Warehouse Salem "Clayton" Ohio
   
 
 
The Village Baseball team standing on High St.
 
1926 aerial photos for Clayton were taken by William Mayfield. William took aerial photos of forty-six local towns and cities in conjunction with Rike- Kumler's 73rd anniversary celebration.
 
 
The Brabant family Greenhouse. Located on the east side of Route 48 just north of Stillwater Sanitarium during the 1950s. They raised and sold cut flowers.
   
 
Frank Olinger farm. He and his family lived on the SE corner of Crestway and Route 40, where Northmont High School is now. The farm was sold to the school when consolidation took place in 1959.
   
 
The Stillwater Sanitarium was built to care for T.B. patents from Montgomery and Preeble County. It was Located at 8100 N, Main ST.
 
 
   
 
  Clayton E. U. B. Church. Frances Olinger took this photograph of Clayton E.U.B. Church sometime between 1948 and 1952, during the years when Rev. Robert McBride served the congregation. During this period, the church was growing rapidly and a new addition was put on to house the Sunday school classes. The educational wing also was the site of Clayton Boy Scout and Campfire girl meetings. The first church erected on this site in 1868 was a free church used by several different denominations. The first building and its replacement were destroyed by fires. The current building, erected in the 1890s, suffered damage during remodeling in 1923, when the south wall collapsed. In spite of all these difficulties, the church survives today and is located on Talmadge Road opposite the Clayton post office. The bell tower has been removed from the roof, but the bell sits on a pedestal in front of the building.