Clay County was formed by an act of the Alabama General Assembly on December 7, 1866. Less than a year later, Ashland was established as the county seat on land donated by Hollingsworth Watts for the construction of a courthouse. Ashland was incorporated in 1871 and was named for 19th-century statesman Henry Clay's Kentucky home. During its early years, the town grew so rapidly that many predicted it would become more prosperous than Birmingham. Growth continued with the opening of Alabama's first graphite mine in 1899, but when World War I ended, the market for graphite dropped drastically and the town's growth phase ended. The 1930s brought the Great Depression and boll weevil to Ashland, destroying the cotton industry and forcing farmers to abandon what had been the community's major industry. By the beginning of the 21st century, timber, poultry, and cabinet making had become the dominant industries. Ashland residents have long been drawn to community and public service. County native Hugo Black served on the U.S. Supreme Court, Bob Riley served as Alabama's 52nd Governor from 2003 to 2011, and many others served through the Alabama National Guard. During the Desert Shield/Storm conflict, Clay County had the largest concentration per capita of soldiers serving of any county in the nation. Education and athletics have also been a source of great pride, and from September 9, 1994 to November 14, 1997, the Clay County High School Panthers set an Alabama high school state football record by winning 55 games in a row. The school also won six state football championships and two in basketball.