Clayton, the second-largest town in Johnston County, is 15 minutes west of Raleigh along U.S. 70. Home to 9,000 people, Clayton was built on the road cut by Gov. Tryon's troops as they marched from New Bern to Hillsborough in 1770. Its first recorded name was Stallings Station, a depot for the North Carolina Railroad in the home of Mrs. Sarah Stallings. On Jan. 30, 1856, the name was officially changed to Clayton in honor of a senator from Delaware.
The Town of Clayton was incorporated in 1869. Today it is a thriving suburb of Raleigh and the second-largest town in Johnston County.
Agriculture has been a mainstay of the community due to the soil and climate conditions in Clayton. Research farms and laboratories have been established in the area because of Clayton's proximity to North Carolina State University, the state Department of Agriculture and Research Triangle Park. With expansion and rapid residential growth, Clayton continues to be a prosperous town in which to live and work.
One local hot spot in the heart of the historic downtown is the Coffee Mill – known to be a great place for meeting old friends and making new ones while sharing coffee and a muffin or a fruit smoothie and a salad. There’s live music every Friday and Saturday night (with many local performers, but also some from Chicago or New York). Regulars don’t miss jazz nights, and the eatery also hosts a North Carolina Songwriters Co-Op (NCSC) open mic night on the third Thursday of each month.