Clayton, New York

Nestled along the St. Lawrence River, Clayton has been a thriving riverside community since the early 1800s. French explorers first settled the area in the 1820s, and by 1823 the local post office and village went by the name Cornelia. Residents voted to rename it Clayton in 1831, and on April 27, 1833, the Town of Clayton was officially organized from the Towns of Orleans and Lyme by an act of the New York State Legislature — named in honor of John M. Clayton, U.S. Senator from Delaware. The community grew quickly, and by 1835 it had 93 buildings and a population of 426. The Village of Clayton was formally incorporated on April 17, 1872.

Today Clayton proudly calls itself the geographic center of the Thousand Islands, and it's one of the region's most beloved tourism destinations. It's also part of a friendly local rivalry — both Clayton and neighboring Alexandria Bay claim to be the birthplace of the famous Thousand Islands dressing. At least one Clayton restaurant maintains the iconic salad topping was created right on its premises, while Alexandria Bay points to Boldt Castle as the true origin. The debate rages on, and honestly, it makes a great excuse to try it in both towns.

Clayton's earliest economic driver was timber. Thanks to its prime location on the St. Lawrence River and an abundant lumber supply, logs were lashed into rafts and floated downriver to mills in and around Montreal. The lumber industry dominated local life until the railroad arrived in 1873, which changed everything. Suddenly Clayton was within easy reach of major cities, and it quickly became a popular summer escape. Hotels, restaurants, boat liveries, and fishing guides began to flourish, and wealthy vacationers began building grand summer retreats on the islands dotting the river nearby — a legacy that still shapes the character of the region today.