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A−History
History · Clarksville

Clarksville dates to 1783, and 7 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 79% of U.S. towns · #238 of 593 in Indiana. What drives it

7 places in town are on the National Register, among them seven historic districts with 416 buildings between them. Most of Clarksville was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1971. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1939 on, and the census since 1880.

1783founded
7on the National Register
7%homes built before 1940
2old photos & papers
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Bedford · Public domain
Quick answers

How Clarksville began

When was Clarksville founded?

1783

Clarksville dates its founding to 1783 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 1,037 in 18802020 census: 22,333243 years

How historic is Clarksville?

A−

More historic than 79% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Clarksville’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Clarksville is more historic than 79% of U.S. towns, #238 of 593 in Indiana. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Clarksville’s overall grade.
Founding era1783, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 19406.5% of homes (±1.9) · typical IN town 14.4% · U.S. 8.4%C+National Register7 listings, 416 historic buildings, 189 per 10,000 residents · typical IN town 7.9 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 79%
NewerOlder
Indiana towns of 2,500+ (593)Ahead of 60%

Indiana towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Indiana town has 7.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Clarksville’s 189 sits above most of its state (87% of Indiana towns have fewer) while its 416 historic buildings outnumber those of 97% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A. The pre-1940 share (±1.9 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1783.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Clarksville’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A historic districtThe Patterson Place Historic District takes in 171 historic buildings.A history waiting to be writtenOnly 2 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Landmarks on the Register7 places on the National Register.Deep rootsEstablished in 1783: 243 years of Clarksville.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

7 listings protect 416 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
7
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
416
each building in a district counts
first listed
2019
Indiana State Prison South-Indiana Reformatory-…
Indiana State Prison South-Indiana Reformatory- Colgate-Palmolive Historic DistrictLincoln Heights Historic DistrictCentralia Court Historic DistrictClark-McKinley Historic DistrictPatterson Place Historic DistrictFrancis Avenue Historic DistrictVictory Court Historic District
Districts
All 7 listings
Indiana State Prison South-Indiana Reformatory- Colgate-Palmolive Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2019Lincoln Heights Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2020Centralia Court Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2022Clark-McKinley Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2023Patterson Place Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2023Francis Avenue Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2025Victory Court Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2025

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Help out

Start Clarksville’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Clarksville’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Clarksville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Clarksville.

Read it all →

The site that would become Clarksville was first used as a base of operations by George Rogers Clark during the American Revolutionary War. In 1778 he established a post on an island at the head of the Falls of the Ohio, from which he trained his 175-man regiment. After the war, Clark was granted a tract of 150,000 acres (610 km2) for his services in the war. In 1783, 1,000 acres (4 km2) were set aside for the development of a town, Clarksville. The same year a stockade was built and settlement began.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Clarksville, 1783 to 1984

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1783
    FoundingClarksville is established
  3. 1790In the archive9th Congress Manuscript Map
  4. 19th century
  5. 1826In the archiveA Journey in North America, containing a survey of the countries watered by the Mississip…
  6. 20th century
  7. 1939On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  8. 1941Born hereJohn Minta is born here
  9. 1962Born hereFrank Kimmel is born here
  10. 1984Born hereMickie Knuckles is born here
By decade

Clarksville, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1790s to the 1820s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1790s–1820s2 items
9th Congress Manuscript Map17909th Congress Manuscript MapMapA Journey in North America, containing a survey of the countries watered by the Mississipi, Ohio, Missouri and other af…1826A Journey in North America, containing a survey of th…Document
Today9 recent
Patterson Place Historic District2023Patterson Place Historic DistrictView of Louisville from2020View of Louisville fromRyder Used Trucks in2015Ryder Used Trucks inThe Colgate Clock, Colgage-Palmolive factory2009The Colgate Clock, Colgage-Palmolive factorySilver Creek Lapping2007Silver Creek LappingDerby Dinner Playhouse2006Derby Dinner PlayhouseOur Lady of Providence Junior-Senior High School exterior2005Our Lady of Providence Junior-Senior High School exte…Clarksville IN Town Hall2005Clarksville IN Town HallClarksville High Indiana2005Clarksville High Indiana
On the map

Clarksville on the map, 1939 to 1992

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Clarksville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Clarksville on the 1939 USGS mapClarksville on the 1946 USGS mapClarksville on the 1950 USGS mapClarksville on the 1960 USGS mapClarksville on the 1971 USGS mapClarksville on the 1982 USGS mapClarksville on the 1992 USGS map1939New Albany sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Clarksville.

People over time

Clarksville, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,0001880190019201940196019802000202022,333

Grew from 1,037 people in 1880 to 22,333 in 2020, more than tenfold.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Clarksville’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Clarksville

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Mickie KnucklesAmerican professional wrestler · b. 1984
Frank KimmelAmerican race car driver · b. 1962
J
John MintaAmerican politician · b. 1941
Places that used to be

Old corners and places now gone

Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Blackiston Village
Gone or out of use
Haps Airportairport

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Jeffersonville Township13 historic placesA−SellersburgIts storyC+New Albany Township19 historic placesAJeffersonville6 historic placesA−New Albany19 historic placesASilver Creek TownshipIts storyC−

Questions about Clarksville’s history

What year was Clarksville founded?

In 1783, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1880 counted 1,037 people here.

How does Clarksville rank for history?

Clarksville is more historic than 79% of U.S. towns, #238 of 593 in Indiana. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Clarksville?

7 listings: 7 historic districts with 416 contributing buildings. 416 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Clarksville?

7% of Clarksville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.9 points), against a typical 14% for an Indiana town; the median home was built in 1971.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (10), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (7), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.