CLAY COUNTY ILLUSTRATED 



separator on the farm have been im- 

 portant factors. Comfortable homes 

 with modern conveniences have helped 

 to make life on the farm more pleas- 

 ant. Frequent meetings of the Farm- 

 ers' Clubs and other rural organiza- 

 tions have helped with the social side 

 of the farm woman's life. The unpro- 

 tected farm buildings on the prairie 

 have given way to the well-arranged 

 farmstead, protected by groves of box 

 elders and cottonwoods. Small fruits 

 thrive in the gardens and in many in- 

 stances apple, plum and cherry trees 

 contribute to the table. Flowers and 

 shrubbery have helped in a wonderful 

 degree to make the farm home pleas- 

 ant. 



Clay County Is Out of Debt 



The first settlers came to Clay Coun- 

 ty in 1859 and located along the Red 

 River on the Pembina Trail, extending 

 north to Fort Garry, now Winnipeg. 

 Close behind were the pioneers who 

 reached the southeastern part of the 

 county in 1862. The Buffalo River 

 settlement came later, the advance 

 guard arriving in 1870. They met and 

 overcame all the hardships incident to 

 pioneer life. Living in fear of Indian 

 outbreaks, their crops devoured by 

 grasshoppers, and with none of the 



conveniences and few of the comforts 

 of life, they held on until the North- 

 ern Pacific Railroad was built through 

 in 1871. Many of the men found em- 

 ployment on the construction work of 

 the railroad, and the money they 

 earned was a Godsend to their fam- 

 ilies and themselves. Settlers then 

 began to flock into the country and 

 conditions improved rapidly in every 

 way. 



Clay County was organized in April, 

 1872, when the first county commis- 

 sioners were appointed. The commis- 

 sioners appointed the first officers of 

 the county and divided the entire 

 county into two election districts. In 

 October, 1879, the contract was let for 

 the building of the first court house, 

 which is still standing on First Ave- 

 nue North near Eighth Street. Three 

 years later, in September, 1882, the 

 first contracts for the erection of the 

 present court house and jail were let. 



It was necessary to issue bonds to 

 pay for the new buildings and to build 

 roads and make other public improve- 

 ments. In 1896 the bonded indebted- 

 ness of the county was $148,000.00. 

 This included a $40,000.00 bond issue, 

 made in 1896, to take up the floating 

 indebtedness of the county. Since 

 that time the county has had no float- 



Clay County Court House at Moorhead 



