Spanning just 149 square miles, Clayton County is one of Georgia’s smallest counties, but it is one of most densely populated counties in the state. Clayton County was formed out of portions of Fayette and Henry Counties on November 30, 1858 becoming the 125th county in Georgia. The county is named after Augustine Smith Clayton, a former judge and member of the House of Representatives.
Originally inhabited by Creek Indians, Clayton County’s growth centered around advances in transportation. Beginning in the mid-19th century when stops were added in Clayton County along the rail line running from Atlanta to Macon and connected the southeast to the port of Savannah, and continuing in the 20th century with the proliferation of state and interstate highways that now cross the county, Clayton County became a logical location for the establishment of business and commerce in the Atlanta metro area. This growth has transformed Clayton County into a multicultural suburban center of business and commerce. The importance of transportation is exhibited today by the presence of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the second busiest airport in the world, the majority of which lies inside the Clayton County lines.
http://www.claytoncountyga.gov/
