Ashland is a city^[2] in Clay County, Alabama, United States. The population was 2,037 at the 2010 census.^[3] The city is the county seat of Clay County.

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Ashland, Alabama
City
The Clay County Courthouse is located in Ashland. The Classical Revival-style building has served as the county courthouse since its completion in 1906.
Location of Ashland in Clay County, Alabama.
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Coordinates: 33°16′19″N 85°50′12″W
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Clay
Settled	1867
Incorporated	1871
Named for	Henry Clay's estate
Government
• Type	Mayor/City Council
• Mayor	Larry J. Fetnor
Area [1]
• Total	7.38 sq mi (19.11 km2)
• Land	7.35 sq mi (19.03 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.09 km2)
Elevation	1,119 ft (341 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,984
• Density	270.08/sq mi (104.28/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	36251
Area code	256
FIPS code	01-02860
GNIS feature ID	0159091
Website	http://www.cityofashland.net/

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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. In 1871 Ashland was incorporated and named for 19th century statesman Henry Clay's Kentucky estate home.^[4]

During the early years, the town grew very rapidly. The town continued to grow with the opening of Alabama's first graphite mine in 1899.^[4] When World War I ended, the market for graphite dropped drastically, thus ending the town's growth phase.

The 1930s brought the Great Depression and boll weevil to Ashland that destroyed the cotton industry. Farmers were forced to abandon what had been the community's major industry. Timber, poultry, and cabinet making became the dominant industries by the beginning of the 21st century.^[4]

Ashland is located at 33°16′20″N 85°50′13″W (33.272206, −85.836925).^[3]

Alabama State Routes 9 and 77 are the main routes through the city. AL-9 runs through the downtown area, leading northeast 6 mi (9.7 km) to Lineville and southwest 20 mi (32 km) to Goodwater. AL-77 meets AL-9 in the downtown area, and leads northwest 24 mi (39 km) to Talladega and southeast 21 mi (34 km) to Wadley.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 7.3 square miles (19 km²), of which 7.2 square miles (19 km²) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km²) (0.41%) is water.

At 1,130 feet (340 m), Ashland is Alabama's highest elevated county seat.^[5]

Ashland first appeared on the 1870 U.S. Census^[10] as an unincorporated village, incorporating as a town the following year. The 6th beat (precinct) of Clay County also bore the name of Ashland, and has continued to report to date (2010), becoming a census division in 1960.^[11] The population of the beat/precinct/census division is as follows: 1870–1,499; 1880–2,178; 1890–2,848; 1900–2,891; 1910–3,581; 1920–4,629; 1930–3,713; 1940–3,757; 1950–3,197; 1960–5,696; 1970–5,852; 1980–6,167; 1990–5,780; 2000–6,515; 2010–6,128. From 1870 to 1950, Ashland was also the largest community in Clay County. It lost that distinction to Lineville beginning in 1960, when the latter eclipsed Ashland by just 2 people (1,612 to 1,610).

The current Central High School of Clay County and Central Junior High School are in Lineville.

According to the Alabama High School Athletic Association Clay County High School holds seven Class 2A championships.^{[citation needed]}

Football- 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2005

Boys basketball −1991, 1992

Additionally, CCHS was the 1-A State Football Champions in 2002^{[citation needed]}

• Radio stations

WCKF 100.7 FM (Classic Country)

WFAZ 90.9 FM (Classic Country)

• Howard Ballard, former NFL player
• Hugo Black, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1937 until 1971. His first law office was on the square in Ashland.
• Hiram Wesley Evans, Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan from 1922 to 1939.
• Bob Riley, Alabama's 52nd governor
• Jack L. Treadwell, United States Army colonel and Medal of Honor recipient

• Ashland City Hall and Water Department
• Ashland Post Office (ZIP code: 36251)
• Downtown Ashland at dusk.
• A Bull Durham mural in Downtown Ashland.
• Ashland Elementary School.
• The former Clay County High School building in Ashland.