Town of Clay Historical Association

About the Historical Association

The Clay Historical Association was the brainstorm of Jim Gulnac, Director of Recreation and Human Resource for the Town of Clay. It held it's first meeting on April 10th, 1974, with a mission of educating people on the history of the culture and residents of Town of Clay. In recent years the Town of Clay assigned 2.8 acres of land they own on Route 31, west of the railroad tracks in the hamlet of Clay to be known as Clay Historical Park. This parcel of land that is the Clay Historical Park holds some of the Town of Clay's Historical Buildings. It is the Town of Clay Recreation Department and the Clay Historical Association's responsibility to promote and present programs in the buildings in the Town of Clay's Historical Park.

The old Cigarville Railroad Station houses the museum that provides visitors with a view of life during the early years in the Town of Clay. In addition to the railroad station, there is the Sellen-Weller barn that dates back to 1840, a replica of one of the first log cabins built in the Town of Clay's Historical Park in May 2005, we also had the Grand Opening of the new 'Welcome' Center the Town added, which houses the rest rooms, a gift shop, soon to be kitchen and an assembly room with a platform stage for Town of Clay Recreation Department and CHA society programming.

Activities by the Town of Clay Recreation Department and the Clay Historical Association are held through-out the year for visitors to see the buildings open. Group tours are also available at the Town of Clay Historical Park through-out the year. Many cub scout groups go through to earn merit badges. School groups are shown through to learn early American History.

Building Rentals

The Clay Historical Association owns the old School House of District #5 (pictured below) on the corner of Grange Road and VanHoesen Road. This now serves as the Clay Historical Association's home office. This building is available for renting to small groups. Contact the recreation department at historian@townofclay.org for more information.

Membership

With the responsibilities of preserving the past for the future, Clay Historical Association is always looking for new members to join the Association. Meetings are on the fourth Monday of the each month at 6:30 PM at their old School House. Programs of historical interest are presented to members and guests. The membership fee is $5.00 per person each year.

Application: Mail to Clay Historical Association, c/o Carl Lepinske, 4894 Grange Road, Clay, NY 13041

download the Membership Application