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History · Clarkston

Clarkston dates to 1864, and 57% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listings are the Harris, Martin, Gravesite and the Clarkston Tithing Granary. Below: maps from 1964 on and the census since 1870.

1864founded
2on the National Register
57%homes built before 1940
1famous people
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Quick answers

How Clarkston began, and where its name came from

When was Clarkston founded?

1864

Clarkston dates its founding to 1864 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1870.

First census: 153 in 18702020 census: 749162 years

How did Clarkston get its name?

Clarkston was named for Israel Justus Clark, who was an early settler and the first branch president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Clarkston.

Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1871. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓

What stands out about Clarkston’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 Clarkston are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Clarkston’s homes were built before 1938.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Clarkston’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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The story

How Clarkston came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Clarkston.

Read it all →

The town of Clarkston was laid out in 1864. It was named for Israel Justus Clark, who was an early settler and the first branch president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Clarkston.

The settlers originally settled east of modern-day Clarkston in a spot known as the flat. Due to water quality concerns and sickness, they moved the town to a higher elevation and closer to City Creek and other springs. They also experimented in dry farming, mainly north of town. There was trouble with the native Americans, and in 1866 the settlement was abandoned for a short time. Eventually, an agreement was made between the settlers and Indian John, a chief under the Washakie.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Clarkston, 1864 to 1964

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1864
    FoundingClarkston is established
  3. 1871Post officeThe Clarkston post office opens
  4. 1875BuiltHarris, Martin, Gravesite is built
  5. 20th century
  6. 1905BuiltClarkston Tithing Granary is built
  7. 1934Born hereLaFarr Stuart is born here
  8. 1964On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Clarkston, decade by decade

Today2 recent
Clarkston Utah Tithing Granary2016Clarkston Utah Tithing GranaryMartin Harris monument2006Martin Harris monument
On the map

Clarkston on the map, 1964 to 1989

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

Clarkston on the 1964 USGS mapClarkston on the 1989 USGS map1964Clarkston 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 Clarkston.

On the National Register

2 historic places in Clarkston

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.

places listed
2
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
2
each building in a district counts
first listed
1980
Harris, Martin, Gravesite
Clarkston Tithing Granary, built 1905
BuildingsSites

Architectural styles listings

Vernacular1
Harris, Martin, GravesiteBuilt 1875
Clarkston Tithing GranaryVernacular · Built 1905

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

People over time

Clarkston, census by census

020040060080018801900192019401960198020002020749

Grew from 153 people in 1870 to 749 in 2020, 4 times over.

16 censuses, 1870–2020.

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

Questions about Clarkston’s history

What year was Clarkston founded?

In 1864, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Clarkston’s post office opened in 1871, and the census of 1870 counted 153 people here.

What is on the National Register in Clarkston?

Two places: the Harris, Martin, Gravesite (listed 1980) and the Clarkston Tithing Granary (1985).

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). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (2), Wikidata (1), 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) 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.