Clarksville, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clarksville
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Hamlet
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Clarksville Junction before 1907
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Otago |
| Territorial authority | Clutha District |
| Electorate | Taieri |
| Elevation | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 174 |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Postcode |
9292
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| Area code(s) | 03 |
| Local iwi | Ngāi Tahu |
Clarksville is a small community in New Zealand. It is also known as Clarksville Junction. This tiny place is located in the Otago region of the South Island. You can find it about three kilometers southwest of the town of Milton. Clarksville is special because two important roads, State Highways 1 and 8, meet right here.
Contents
Discovering Clarksville
Clarksville might be small, but it has an interesting history. It was once a very important spot for trains. The town is known for its past as a railway junction. This is where one train line branched off from another.
Clarksville's Railway Past
For many years, Clarksville was a key point on the railway map. It was the place where the Roxburgh Branch railway line connected to the main Main South Line. Building this branch line started in the 1870s. Clarksville served as the main junction until 1907.
In 1907, the branch line was extended. It was built alongside the Main South Line into Milton. This change made train operations smoother. So, Milton became the junction for a while, until 1960. Then, the extension was removed. Clarksville became the railway junction again. This continued until the entire branch line closed in 1968.
The Clarksville Station
The railway station in Clarksville opened on January 22, 1878. It served passengers and goods for many years. The station finally closed on May 24, 1970.
In 1898, the station had several features. These included a 5th class station building. There was also a platform for passengers. A special path allowed carts to reach the platform. The station also had a house for the stationmaster. There were even urinals for public use.
Over the years, some parts of the station were removed. In 1936, people suggested taking away the ladies' toilets. By 1968, the shelter shed, loading bank, and men's toilets were also gone. The station building itself was sold in 1970 for $50.
How Clarksville Got Its Name
The settlement was first called Clarkesville. The extra "e" in the name was officially removed in 1896. The town was named after an early settler in the area, a man named Henry Clark.
