Clay Center was first settled in 1862. It was named from its position near the geographical center of Clay County. The first post office was established in Clay Center on July 3, 1862. Clay Center was located on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads.
Becoming the President: In 1896, William McKinley was nominated to run for president for the Republican Party with Garret Hobart as his running mate. He was opposed by William Jennings Bryan who during his acceptance to the nomination gave his famous Cross of Gold speech where he spoke against the gold standard.
But some think that McKinley used Hanna to meet his own political goals. In 1892, McKinley chaired the Republican National Convention and was almost nominated for the presidency. Mark Hanna had unofficially opened a McKinley-for-President headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota (site of the convention). In 1893, McKinley faced a personal crisis that almost sidetracked his political career. He had co-signed bank notes totaling more than $100,000.00 to help a friend start a business, and when the business failed, McKinley, who did not have the money, was expected to repay the bank loans. His friends, led by Mark Hanna, raised enough funds to repay the loans. The public, sympathetic for McKinley, re-elected him as