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Clarksville, Texas facts for kids

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For the smaller city in Gregg County, see Clarksville City, Texas.
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Clarksville, Texas
City
Broadway Street in Clarksville
Broadway Street in Clarksville
Location of Clarksville, Texas
Location of Clarksville, Texas
RedRiver County Clarksville.svg
Country United States
State Texas
County Red River
Area
 • Total 3.06 sq mi (7.93 km2)
 • Land 3.06 sq mi (7.93 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
436 ft (133 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 2,857
 • Density 1,003.59/sq mi (387.48/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
75426
Area code(s) 430, 903
FIPS code 48-15160
GNIS feature ID 2409470

Clarksville is a city in Texas, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Red River County. Clarksville is located in the northern part of the Piney Woods region of East Texas. In 2020, about 2,857 people lived there.

History of Clarksville

Clarksville was started by a man named James Clark in 1833. He moved to the area and planned out the town. In 1835, when Red River County was formed, Clarksville became its county seat. It was chosen over another community called La Grange.

One of the first houses was built by Isaac Smathers. Later, Charles DeMorse owned this house. Clarksville officially became a town in 1837. In just a few years, it grew into an important place for education and farming.

McKenzie College

In 1841, a Methodist minister named John W.P. McKenzie started a school. He began teaching boys in his home, which he called Itinerant's Retreat. Soon, more students wanted to join than his home could hold. He built a log cabin and then three large wooden buildings for dorms.

The school, McKenzie College, also welcomed girls and boarding students. By 1854, it had 300 students and 9 teachers. It was the biggest college in Texas in the 1850s. Many new Methodist ministers in Texas were trained there.

When the American Civil War began in 1861, most of the male students joined the Confederate Army. By 1863, the school had only 33 students. Reverend McKenzie closed the school for good on June 25, 1868.

Early Town Growth

In 1844, the Clarksville Female Academy opened. It had moved from Pine Creek, where it first started in 1840. A post office opened in Clarksville in 1846. By 1838, mail was delivered twice a week between Clarksville and Natchitoches, Louisiana.

A wooden courthouse was built in 1840. It was replaced by a brick one in 1850. A brick jail was also built nearby in 1852. The First Presbyterian Church moved to Clarksville in 1844. It is one of the oldest Protestant churches in Texas that is still open.

Clarksville was a very important trading center in this part of Texas before the Civil War. Goods could be shipped from New Orleans directly to Rowland's Landing, which was 15 miles (24 km) north of Clarksville. Then, wagons would bring the goods to town. Before the war, about 900 people lived in Clarksville.

After the Civil War

After the Civil War, the town started to grow again. The Texas and Pacific Railway reached Clarksville in 1872. This brought new people and businesses. In 1870, the population was 613. By 1885, it had grown to about 1,200 people.

At that time, Clarksville had a new stone courthouse, several churches, three schools, two banks, and two flour mills. It also had a weekly newspaper called the Clarksville Times.

By 1914, Clarksville had 3,000 residents. It had also added a water system, an ice plant, and an electric power plant. However, events like the two World Wars and the Great Depression slowed its growth. Other nearby cities also grew, like Dallas and Texarkana.

In November 2022, a very strong tornado hit near Clarksville.

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1870 613 —
1890 1,588 —
1900 2,069 30.3%
1910 2,065 −0.2%
1920 3,386 64.0%
1930 2,952 −12.8%
1940 4,095 38.7%
1950 4,353 6.3%
1960 3,851 −11.5%
1970 3,346 −13.1%
1980 4,917 47.0%
1990 4,311 −12.3%
2000 3,883 −9.9%
2010 3,285 −15.4%
2020 2,857 −13.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

What is Clarksville Like?

Geography of Clarksville

Clarksville is about 58 miles (93 km) northwest of Texarkana. It is in the middle of Red River County. Important roads like U.S. Highway 82 and State Highway 37 meet here.

The city covers a total area of about 3.0 square miles (7.9 km2). All of this area is land.

People in Clarksville (Demographics)

In 2020, there were 2,857 people living in Clarksville. There were 1,428 households and 854 families.

Clarksville racial composition as of 2020
(NH = Not Hispanic)
Race Number Percentage
White (NH) 1,099 38.47%
Black or African American (NH) 1,297 45.4%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 21 0.74%
Asian (NH) 23 0.81%
Some Other Race (NH) 4 0.14%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 114 3.99%
Hispanic or Latino 299 10.47%
Total 2,857

Learning in Clarksville

The Clarksville Independent School District serves the area. This is the local school system for students in Clarksville.

Getting Around Clarksville

Highways and Roads

Several important roads pass through Clarksville:

  • US 82.svg U.S. Route 82
  • Texas 37.svg Texas State Highway 37
  • Texas FM 909.svg Farm to Market 909
  • Texas FM 910.svg Farm to Market 910
  • Texas FM 1159.svg Farm to Market 1159

Clarksville Airport

The Clarksville/Red River County Airport (also known as J. D. Trissell Field) is a public airport. It is about 3 miles (6 km) southwest of the city center. The city and Red River County own it. It is mainly used for general aviation, which means smaller private planes. The airport has one runway that is 3,000 feet (914 meters) long.

Northeast Texas Trail

Clarksville is also on the Northeast Texas Trail (NETT). This is a 130-mile (209 km) path for hiking and biking. It follows an old railroad line that is no longer used. The trail goes from Farmersville, Texas, to New Boston, Texas.

Famous Places and People

Notable Landmarks

Clarksville has many interesting old buildings and places:

  • Andrew Thompson House Clarksville Wiki (1 of 1)

    Andrew Thompson House

  • Downtown Clarksville 1 Wiki (1 of 1)

    Buildings in Clarksville town square

  • Red River County Jail 2 Wiki (1 of 1)

    Old Red River County Jail

  • First National Bank Clarksville Wiki (1 of 1)

    First National Bank building

  • Lennox House Clarksville Wiki (1 of 1)

    Lennox House

  • Downtown Clarksville 9 Wiki (1 of 1)

    Buildings in Clarksville town square

  • Smathers-Demorse House Clarksville Wiki (1 of 1)

    Smathers-Demorse House

  • United States Post Office Clarksville Wiki (1 of 1)

    United States Post Office

Notable People from Clarksville

Many well-known people have connections to Clarksville:

  • John B. Denton: A preacher who lived here. Denton County and the City of Denton are named after him.
  • Stacey Dillard: A former professional American football player.
  • Euell Gibbons: An author and TV personality who promoted natural diets in the 1960s and 1970s.
  • William Humphrey: An author whose book Home from the Hill was made into a movie filmed near Clarksville.
  • Tommie Smith: An Olympic champion who set a world record in the 200-meter race at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
  • J. D. Tippit: A Dallas police officer who was killed after President John F. Kennedy's assassination.
  • Gary VanDeaver: A member of the Texas House of Representatives. He grew up in Clarksville and graduated from Clarksville High School.

Weather in Clarksville

Clarksville has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers. The winters are usually mild to cool.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Clarksville (Texas) para niños

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