Lee Clay Products, a former brick factory in Clearfield, Kentucky, was in operation until 1970.
The Clearfield Lumber Company, organized in 1905, constructed a large sawmill along Triplett Creek near Morehead. 1 It was connected to the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad’s Lexington Subdivision via the Morehead & North Fork Railroad in 1907, and in 1908, Clearfield constructed a namesake company town.
Most of the virgin timber in the region had been exhausted by 1920 and Clearfield began exploring other uses for its large landholdings. 1 The site was converted to manufacture fire brick, chimney toppers, pipes, and tanks, and the first kiln was fired at the newly renamed company, Lee Clay Products, on October 15, 1925. Lee Clay remained in operation until 1970.
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Sources
- “‘Lee Clay Products’ exhibition opens Feb. 7 at KFAC.” Morehead News 23 Jan. 2013: n. pag. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. Article.
4 Comments
Add Yours →My grandfather, father and uncle worked for Lee Clay Products in Clearfield. My father was the union steward that led a strike that ultimately contributed to the factory’s closure. Of course, they were being pressured to convert from coal-fired kilns to natural gas.
My fireplace in my house has lee clay products inside it. Thought this was really neat.
I found a clay paver at my house from Lee Clay prouduct It’s #22. Can you tell me about it. How old is it?
Lee Clay Products was in business 1925 to 1970 at Clearfield, KY (near Morehead, KY). I had relatives that worked there. Could you send a picture of the paver? Thanks, Gary Coleman, Lex, KY