Town Sign Project: Clay County

A month or so back Teresa and I cruised around Clay County and harvested the rest of their town signs. I actually pieced Clay County together over like maybe 4 different trips, so I didn’t explore it as thoroughly as some counties, but still saw some interesting things.

Here are some facts about Clay County:

+ Population is 16,138 making it the 48th most populous county in Iowa. Below Madison County and above Floyd County.
+ The largest town and county seat is Spencer.
+ Named after Henry Clay, Jr., a colonel who died in the Mexican-American War. Son of a much more famous father.
+ Home of the Clay County Fair, which some people errantly claim is better than the Iowa State Fair.
+ Site of the Spencer fire of 1931 where 80 businesses were destroyed by fireworks and led to fireworks being banned in Iowa.
+ Major highways are: US-18, US-71, and IA-10.
+ Adjacent counties are Dickinson, Palo Alto, Buena Vista, and O’Brien.
+ Population peaked in 1980 at 19,576.

Clay County has a beautiful courthouse:


Clay County Courthouse
The Clay County Courthouse located in Spencer, Iowa.

The Clay County Freedom Rock is located in Everly, Iowa:


Clay County Freedom Rock

Clay County Freedom Rock

Clay County Freedom Rock

Clay County Freedom Rock

With Clay County conquered, here is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:


Town Sign Project - 67 Counties
PURPLE=COMPLETED

67 counties completed. 67.7% of the Cyclone State conquered.

Here are the town signs of Clay County:


Spencer, Iowa
Spencer, Iowa
SPENCER
Population: 11,325 (+92)

Everly, Iowa
Everly, Iowa
First in the Nation in Education FINE Award Winners
Everly
Home of the Cattlefeeders
Population: 575 (-28)

Royal, Iowa
Royal, Iowa
ROYAL
A PRINCE OF A COMMUNITY
EST. 1900
Population: 379 (-67)

Peterson, Iowa
Peterson, Iowa
Welcome to PETERSON
Established 1856
Population: 322 (-2)

Fostoria, Iowa
Fostoria, Iowa
The City of FOSTORIA
Welcomes You
Population: 230 (-1)

Dickens, Iowa
Dickens, Iowa
DICKENS
Population: 146 (-39)

Webb, Iowa
Webb, Iowa
WELCOME
WEBB
1900
Population: 138 (-3)

Greenville, Iowa
Greenville, Iowa
GREENVILLE CITY PARK
Population: 71 (-4)

Rossie, Iowa
Rossie, Iowa
Elev. 1405.00′
ROSSIE
We’ve Got More than…
ONE HORSE
Population: 49 (-21)

Gillett Grove, Iowa
Gillett Grove, Iowa
WELCOME to GILLETT GROVE
HAPPY VALLEY USA
Population: 30 (-19)

For the most part, Clay County had a real solid collection of signs. But there are a couple of duds. The best I could find in Dickens was an old railroad depot sign. The best I could find in Greenville was a city park sign. For last place I’m going to give it to Greenville.

There are a few in the running for Best in Show. I really like the town signs for Everly, Royal, and Gillet Grove. However, the purple ribbon is going to Rossie for the clever tag line. Although when I visited the town, I didn’t see a place to get groceries or beer. Maybe a place to get gas.


Rossie, Iowa
Rossie – Best in Show – Clay County

There are a few alternates in Clay County:


Everly, Iowa
Everly – Alternate

Everly, Iowa
Everly – Alternate

Royal, Iowa
Royal – Alternate

Here is the current list of Best in Shows:


Fontanelle, Iowa
Best in Show – Adair County

Nodaway, Iowa
Best in Show – Adams County

Audubon, Iowa
Best in Show – Audubon County

Norway, Iowa
Best in Show – Benton County

Moingona, Iowa
Best in Show – Boone County

Readlyn, Iowa
Best in Show – Bremer County

Storm Lake, Iowa
Best in Show – Buena Vista County

New Hartford, Iowa
Best in Show – Butler County

Manson, Iowa
Best in Show – Calhoun County

Coon Rapids, Iowa
Best in Show – Carroll County

Anita, Iowa
Best in Show – Cass County

Lowden, Iowa
Best in Show – Cedar County

Dougherty, Iowa
Best in Show – Cerro Gordo County

Washta, Iowa
Best in Show – Cherokee County

Murray, Iowa
Best in Show – Clarke County

Rossie, Iowa
Best in Show – Clay County

Low Moor, Iowa
Best in Show – Clinton County

Ricketts, Iowa
Best in Show – Crawford County

Dexter, Iowa
Best in Show – Dallas County

Weldon, Iowa
Best in Show – Decatur County

Popejoy, Iowa
Best in Show – Franklin County

Tabor, Iowa
Best in Show – Fremont County

Scranton, Iowa
Best in Show – Greene County

Beaman, Iowa
Best in Show – Grundy County

Menlo, Iowa
Best in Show – Guthrie County

Stanhope, Iowa
Best in Show – Hamilton County

Britt, Iowa
Best in Show – Hancock County

Ackley, Iowa
Best in Show – Hardin County

Modale, Iowa
Best in Sow – Harrison County

Bradgate, iowa
Best in Show – Humboldt County

Ida Grove, Iowa
Best in Show – Ida County

Millersburg, Iowa
Best in Show – Iowa County

La Motte, Iowa
Best in Show – Jackson County

Lynnville, Iowa
Best in Show – Jasper County

Anamosa, Iowa
Best in Show – Jones County

Titonka, Iowa
Best in Show – Kossuth County

Springville, Iowa
Best in Show – Linn County

Lucas, Iowa
Best in Show – Lucas County

East Peru, Iowa
Best in Show – Madison County

Leighton, Iowa
Best in Show – Mahaska County

Pleasantville, Iowa
Best in Show – Marion County

Haverhill, Iowa
Best in Show – Marshall County

Malvern, Iowa
Best in Show – Mills County

Onawa, Iowa
Best in Show – Monona County

Melrose, Iowa
Best in Show – Monroe County

Grant, Iowa
Best in Show – Montgomery County

Paullina, Iowa
Best in Show – O’Brien County

Melvin, Iowa
Best in Show – Osceola County

College Springs, Iowa
Best in Show – Page County

Mallard, Iowa
Best in Show – Palo Alto County

Plover, Iowa
Best in Show – Pocahontas County

Bondurant, Iowa
Best in Show – Polk County

Walnut, Iowa
Best in Show – Pottawattamie County

Malcom, Iowa
Best in Show – Poweshiek County

Maloy, Iowa
Best in Show – Ringgold County

Nemaha, Iowa
Best in Show – Sac County

Elk Horn, Iowa
Best in Show – Shelby County

Collins, Iowa
Best in Show – Story County

Tama, Iowa
Best in Show – Tama County

Gravity, Iowa
Best in Show – Taylor County

Creston, Iowa
Best in Show – Union County

New Virginia, Iowa
Best in Show – Warren County

Humeston, Iowa
Best in Show – Wayne County

Badger, Iowa
Best in Show – Webster County

Buffalo Center, Iowa
Best in Show – Winnebago County

Joice, Iowa
Best in Show – Worth County

Woolstock, Iowa
Best in Show – Wright County

The next time we hit the open road for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT we will visit the town signs of Lyon County.

4 thoughts on “Town Sign Project: Clay County”

  1. Missed opportunity for a “What the Dickens” sign there. Or a Charles Dickens. Or “Like the Dickens.” Just off the top of my head. Surely they could have done something clever w/that.

  2. It is really sad. I always get excited about towns with names like that, but they almost always disappoint. Only Rembrandt has delivered on the promise of its name. Dickens not even really having a town sign was just a double shot of disappointment.

  3. A waste of all kinds of cleverness. A waste of a name. Not showing a lot of town pride by not even having a sign. WHAT THE DICKENS, where is your sign?

  4. Dickens is not doubt a disappointment on many levels. They definitely should have cashed in, but they blew it. Maybe they will figure it out before they become a ghost town.

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