Hecht City moved to the present site of Corning in 1871, when the Cairo and Fulton Railroad surveyed the land for the proposed route.

[5] The city of Corning experienced a massive period of growth in the early part of the 20th century.

The pre-dawn explosion originated in a munitions railcar and resulted in only one minor injury in the small town.

Corning is located in western Clay County 2 miles (3 km) west of the Black River.

[8] The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cold winters.

Public education for elementary and secondary students is provided by the Corning School District.

Programs include Art, Band, Spanish, Computer Tech, and Family and Consumer Sciences, along with other basic classes provided by public schools in the state.

Currently, the school has boys' football, track, basketball, golf, baseball, and trap shooting.

The high school football program has enjoyed dominance at times, such as when the team went undefeated in 2007 and made it to the second round of the state playoffs.

Forestry was a primary industry in the late 1800s and into the early 1900s but gave way to farming of rice, soybeans, hard red winter wheat, corn and other grains.