Clayton Library Expands Digital Access To Historic Community Newspaper

CLAYTON, NC – Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library is expanding access to local history with a new digital resource featuring The Clayton News (later The Clayton News-Star), a longtime community newspaper that once captured the heartbeat of the Town.

Residents can now explore editions from 1914 to 1969 through DigitalNC, an easy-to-use online platform and a project of the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center. The effort builds on the library’s growing collection of digital tools, including its Obituary Index, and reflects a continued focus on making local history more accessible to everyone.

Library Associate Pam Taylor, who has worked closely on the project, said the shift to digital access removes barriers that once made research difficult and time consuming. “With microfilm, you had to go through each reel, each slide, and it could take a long time,” she said. “Now, you can go right to what you need and spend your time learning instead of searching.”

For many, the project is also about restoring something the community has lost over time. “It is very, very sad,” said Taylor. “The newspaper focused on Clayton, and it was how people stayed connected.”

The Clayton News served as a trusted record of local life for decades. It captured both everyday moments and major milestones, helping tell the story of a growing Town.

Former publisher and owner Stewart McLeod said the paper was woven into the fabric of the community. “We were involved in everything from Little League baseball to Town government,” he said. “The newspaper touched the lives of a lot of people.”

McLeod said that sense of connection is difficult to replace today. “I hope people read it and get a sense of community,” he said. “I hope they feel like they wish they could have known the people in those stories.”

Although the newspaper is no longer in publication, its impact remains. Like many local papers across the country, it closed as the media landscape changed, leaving behind a gap in how communities share information and document their stories.

That gap highlights the role of the library in protecting local records for future use. “It is history, and it is so important,” said Taylor. “If we do not preserve it, it gets lost.”

Libraries serve as stewards of community memory, ensuring that stories, voices, and experiences are not lost over time. “You are saving a footprint from the past and a voice from the past,” said Taylor. “And it is not just for today. It is for generations to come.”

The collection offers a window into life in Clayton across decades from major historical events to everyday moments that shaped the Town’s identity. Users can explore stories from the Great Depression, World War II, and the Town’s centennial celebration in 1969.

The library hopes to continue expanding the collection by digitizing additional editions in the future.