Farming & Ranching in Clayton
FARMING & RANCHING IN CLAYTON
PIONEERS, MINERS & COWBOYS ALONG WITH RANCHING AND FARMING HAVE
ALL BEEN IMPORTANT PARTS OF CLAYTON'S HISTORY. FOUNDED BY JOEL
CLAYTON IN 1857, HE LAID OUT THE DOWNTOWN, ESTABLISHED HIS CATTLE
RANCH AND PLANTED 28 ACRES OF VINEYARDS.
WHEN JOEL CLAYTON DIED IN 1872 PAUL DEMARTINI BOUGHT HIS RANCH AND
IN 1885 WITH ITALIAN MASONS BUILT THE STONE WINERY THAT WAS CONVERTED
TO CLAYTON'S CITY HALL IN 1997. CLAYTON'S FERTILE SOIL AND
MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE PRODUCED QUALITY WINES THAT WON AWARDS AT THE
1904 WORLD'S FAIR IN ST. LOUIS.
IN THE EARLY 1900'S STEEL WHEELED TRACTORS JOINED CLAYTON'S HORSES
& MULES. DURING PROHIBITION (1920-331 SOME OF CLAYTON'S VINEYARDS WERE
CONVERTED TO ALMOND AND WALNUT ORCHARDS. ALONG WITH HAY AND
LIVESTOCK, TRACTORS, 4-H CLUBS AND RANCHES WERE AN IMPORTANT PART OF
CLAYTON FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS BEFORE REPLACED BY RESIDENTIAL
SUBDIVISIONS.
THESE TRACTORS & PLAQUES DONATED BY THE
CLAYTON BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION 2009