Named in honor of the Kentucky homestead of Henry Clay. Martin Beaser, one of the earliest settlers of the village, and an ardent admirer of Henry Clay, is credited with the selection of the name.

The original name of the town was the Ojibwe word "zhamawanik," meaning "long stretched beaver."

Learn More

Ashland, Wisconsin

See more images, essays, newspapers and records about Ashland, Wisconsin.

Dictionary of Wisconsin History

Explore more than 1,600 people, places and events in Wisconsin history.

[Source: Place Names, p. 29; Hist. No. Wis., p.67. Kellogg, Louise Phelps. "Derivation of County Names" in Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin for 1909, pages 219-231; Milwaukee Sentinel, Aug. 29, 1939.]