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A−History
History · Clarksville

Clarksville dates to 1833, and 16% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 81% of U.S. towns · #25 of 642 in Texas. What drives it

Its Register listings are the Smathers-Demorse House and the Red River County Courthouse. Below: maps from 1885 on and the census since 1870.

1833founded
2on the National Register
16%homes built before 1940
10famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Clarksville began

When was Clarksville founded?

1833

Clarksville dates its founding to 1833 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1870.

First census: 613 in 18702020 census: 2,857193 years

How historic is Clarksville?

A−

More historic than 81% 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. First post office: 1839.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 81% of U.S. towns, #25 of 642 in Texas. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Clarksville’s overall grade.
Founding era1833, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194015.8% of homes (±7.4) · typical TX town 1.6% · U.S. 8.4%BNational Register2 listings, 7.0 per 10,000 residents · typical TX town 0.0 · U.S. 2.4B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 81%
NewerOlder
Texas towns of 2,500+ (642)Ahead of 96%

Few Texas towns list much on the Register (a typical Texas town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Clarksville’s 7.0 sits above most of its state (84% of Texas towns have fewer) while its 2 listings outnumber those of 60% 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 is a Census survey estimate (±7.4 points). Two sources give 1833.

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 history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Clarksville are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 4,917 in 1980; 2,857 people lived here in 2020.Deep rootsEstablished in 1833: 193 years of Clarksville.Famous sons and daughtersTommie Smith, John Edward Williams and 8 more were born here.
★ What stands out · 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
People over time

Clarksville, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,0005,50018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 4,917

Peaked at 4,917 in 1980; 2,857 people lived here in 2020.

15 censuses, 1870–2020.

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

Timeline

Clarksville, 1833 to 1980

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1833
    FoundingClarksville is established
  3. 1839Post officeThe Clarksville post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1922Born hereJohn Edward Williams is born here
  6. 1944Born hereTommie Smith is born here
  7. 1946Born hereEarl McCullouch is born here
  8. 1956Born hereBarbara Mallory Caraway is born here
  9. 1964On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  10. 1980CensusPopulation peaks at 4,917
The story

How Clarksville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Clarksville.

Read it all →

Clarksville was established by James Clark, who moved to the area in 1833 and laid out a town site. When Red River County was organized in 1835, Clarksville was chosen as the county seat, beating out the community of La Grange (later named Madras). Isaac Smathers built one of the first houses, which was later owned by Charles DeMorse. The town was incorporated by an act of the Texas Congress in 1837, and within a few years, it became an educational and agricultural center.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Clarksville, decade by decade

Today12 recent
Clarksville June 2018 10 (Tracy's Cafe)2018Clarksville June 2018 10 (Tracy's Cafe)Clarksville June 2018 05 (Red River County Law Enforcement Center)2018Clarksville June 2018 05 (Red River County Law Enforc…Clarksville June 2018 02 (Full Gospel Church of Deliverance)2018Clarksville June 2018 02 (Full Gospel Church of Deliv…Clarksville June 2018 01 (Courthouse Inn Bed & Breakfast)2018Clarksville June 2018 01 (Courthouse Inn Bed & Breakf…Downtown streetscape2014Downtown streetscapeDowntown streetscape2014Downtown streetscapeDowntown streetscape2014Downtown streetscapeDowntown streetscape2014Downtown streetscapeDowntown streetscape2014Downtown streetscapeBarn and horses near Clarksville in Red River County, Texas2014Barn and horses near Clarksville in Red River County,…Barn and horses near Clarksville in Red River County, Texas2014Barn and horses near Clarksville in Red River County,…TXMap-doton-ClarksvilleCity2004TXMap-doton-ClarksvilleCity
On the map

Clarksville on the map, 1964 to 1991

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 1964 USGS mapClarksville on the 1985 USGS mapClarksville on the 1991 USGS map1964Clarksville 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.

Every building

Clarksville, building by building, 1885

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a sheet.

Clarksville fire insurance map, 1885, sheet 11885Sheet 1 of 2
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

On the National Register

2 historic places in Clarksville

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

places listed
2
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
2
each building in a district counts
first listed
1976
Smathers-Demorse House
Smathers-Demorse HouseRed River County Courthouse
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival1
Renaissance Revival1
Smathers-Demorse HouseGreek Revival
Red River County CourthouseRenaissance Revival

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

Famous people

10 famous people were born in Clarksville

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

See all →
Tommie SmithAmerican track and field athlete · b. 1944
John Edward WilliamsAmerican writer · b. 1922
Earl McCullouchAmerican football player, sprinter, and hurdler · b. 1946
B
Barbara Mallory CarawayAmerican politician · b. 1956
Homer RaineyPresident of the university of Texas at Austin · b. 1896
Ophelia Settle EgyptSocial worker, educator, writer · b. 1903
Places that used to be

Old burying grounds

Clarksville’s post office has been open since 1839.

3cemeteries and burying grounds inside Clarksville
ClarksvilleFairgroundFairview

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Clarksville’s history

What year was Clarksville founded?

In 1833, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Clarksville’s post office opened in 1839, and the census of 1870 counted 613 people here.

How does Clarksville rank for history?

Clarksville is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #25 of 642 in Texas. 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?

Two places: the Smathers-Demorse House (listed 1976) and the Red River County Courthouse (1978).

How old are the homes in Clarksville?

16% of Clarksville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.4 points), against a typical 1.6% for a Texas town; the median home was built in 1973.

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 (7), the Library of Congress (5), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.