Editing Clarksville, Indiana

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Clarksville, Indiana
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| nickname           = 
| mapsize            = 250px
| image_skyline      = Clarksville IN Town Hall.jpg
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = Clarksville Town Hall
| image_map          = File:Clark County Indiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Clarksville Highlighted 1812934.svg
| map_caption        = Location of Clarksville in Clark County, Indiana.
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = 
| image_flag         = File:Flag of Clarksville, Indiana.svg
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{USA}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Indiana}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Indiana|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Clark County, Indiana|Clark]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[List of townships in Indiana|Townships]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Silver Creek Township, Clark County, Indiana|Silver Creek]], [[Jeffersonville Township, Clark County, Indiana|Jeffersonville]]
| government_type    = [[Town council#Indiana|Town Council]]
| leader_title       = President
| leader_name        = Ryan Ramsey{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}
| established_title  = Established
| established_date   = 1783
| population_footnotes = 
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est     = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 22333
| population_density_sq_mi = 2224.62
| population_density_km2 = 858.90
| timezone           = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset         = −5
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = −4
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{Cite web |title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_18.txt |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318023320/https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_18.txt |archive-date=March 18, 2021 |access-date=March 16, 2022 |website=[[Census.gov]] |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 26.51
| area_land_km2      = 26.00
| area_water_km2     = 0.51
| area_total_sq_mi   = 10.23
| area_land_sq_mi    = 10.04
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.20
| area_note          = 
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 469
| coordinates        = {{coord|38|21|02|N|85|46|02|W|region:US-IN_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code        = 47129
| area_code          = [[Area codes 812 and 930|812 & 930]]
| blank_name         = [[FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 18-12934<ref name="GR2">{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512074548/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/08000.html |archive-date=May 12, 2015 |access-date=January 31, 2008 |website=[[Census.gov]] |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2396649<ref name="gnis">{{GNIS|2396649}}</ref>
| footnotes          = 
| website            = {{URL|https://www.townofclarksville.com/|townofclarksville.com}}
}}

'''Clarksville''' is a town in [[Clark County, Indiana|Clark County]], [[Indiana]], United States, along the [[Ohio River]] and is a part of the [[Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area|Louisville Metropolitan area]]. The population was 22,333 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Clarksville town, Indiana |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/clarksvilletownindiana/PST045221 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126075237/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/clarksvilletownindiana/PST045221 |archive-date=January 26, 2024 |access-date=June 28, 2022 |website=[[Census.gov]]}}</ref> The town was founded in 1783 by early resident [[George Rogers Clark]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gannett |first=Henry |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ |title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States |publisher=Govt. Print. Off. |year=1905 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n32 83]}}</ref> at the only seasonal rapids on the entire Ohio River, it is the oldest [[United States|American]] town in the former [[Northwest Territory]]. The town is home to the [[Colgate Clock (Indiana)|Colgate clock]], one of the largest clocks in the world and the [[Falls of the Ohio State Park]], home to the world's largest exposed [[Devonian]] period [[fossil]] bed.

==History==
[[Image:Clark's grant.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Original plat of Clark's Grant]]
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's Grant|Clark was granted a tract]] of {{convert|150000|acre|km2}} for his services in the war. In 1783, {{convert|1000|acre|km2|0}} were set aside for the development of a town, Clarksville. The same year a stockade was built and settlement began.<ref>Sarles, Jane, ''Clarksville, Indiana'',  p. 9</ref>

The explorer [[William Clark]] was a younger brother of George Rogers Clark. Historian [[Stephen Ambrose]] writes of [[Meriwether Lewis]] and William Clark in ''[[Undaunted Courage]]'', "When they shook hands [at Clarksville], the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]] began." A two-figure statue near the falls commemorates the expedition. Several localities other than Clarksville claim precedence for the start of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, most notably [[St. Louis, Missouri]].<ref name="one" />

Due to the many floods in the nineteenth century and the [[Indiana Canal Company]]'s failed competition to build a canal around the Ohio Falls, the town struggled. On August 24, 1805, the [[Indiana Territory|Indiana Territorial Legislature]] authorized the construction of a canal around the Falls of the Ohio at Clarksville. The first attempt failed and the investors lost their money. Historians believe it was used to finance the [[Burr conspiracy|conspiracy]] of [[Aaron Burr]]. Developers tried to build a canal in 1817 and again in 1820. But the race to build the canal was lost in 1826 when the federal government made a large grant to build the [[Louisville and Portland Canal]]. The lack of a canal handicapped the growth of the town as the Falls of the Ohio made river transport from the city difficult.<ref>Gray, Ralph D., ''Indiana History'', p. 123</ref>

Clarksville became a popular dueling spot for Kentuckians who wanted to dodge [[Kentucky|their home state's]] anti-dueling laws. The most famous of these was the 1809 duel between [[Henry Clay]] and [[Humphrey Marshall (Senator)|Humphrey Marshall]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Clay |first1=Thomas Hart |last2=Oberholtzer |first2=Ellis Paxson |title=Henry Clay |page=50 |year=1910 |publisher=George W. Jacobs & Company}}</ref> There was an attempt to build a second town within Clarksville's boundaries, named Ohio Falls City, until the [[Indiana Supreme Court]] ruled that this would be illegal.

[[File:George Rogers Clark cabin reproduction at Clarksville, closeup.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[George Rogers Clark]] cabin along the [[Ohio River]]]]
The town was managed by a ten-member Board of Trustees in the charter from [[Virginia]].<ref name="one" /> The trustees were allowed to align lots along roads and sell the lots for the proceeds to benefit the town. The trustees could elect replacements as needed and did not have to reside in the town. This remained controversial with residents until 1889 when the board stopped meeting and was replaced by a three-member board. One member was selected by the Floyd County Commissioners, one by the Clark County Commissioners, and one by residents of Clarksville. Between 1889 and 1937, the town established a five-member board entirely elected by residents.  The historic records related to this governmental change were lost in the [[Ohio River flood of 1937]].<ref name="one" />

The [[Great Flood of 1937]] decimated the town. The entire town was submerged beneath as much as {{convert|12|ft|m}} of water in some areas for over three weeks during January and February. With almost all of the old town destroyed, Clarksville was rebuilt with a new modern city plan.

The post-[[World War II]] housing boom and new jobs brought growth to the city. The population increased from 2,400 in 1940 to 22,000 in 2000. The city has expanded to the north by annexing several sizable suburbs. By 1981 the State of Indiana changed statutes to convert the managing board of trustees to a council with members rather than trustees. In 1990 voters approved expansion of members of the Town Council from five to seven following the area growth.<ref name="one" /> Clarksville is now the major shopping hub of Southern Indiana, with the hub area centered on Lewis and Clark Parkway and nearby Veterans Parkway.

==Geography==

According to the 2010 census, Clarksville has a total area of {{convert|10.17|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|9.97|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 98.03%) is land and {{convert|0.2|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 1.97%) is water.<ref name="census-g001">{{Cite web |title=G001 – Geographic Identifiers – 2010 Census Summary File 1 |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1812934 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213085323/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1812934 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=July 14, 2015 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 1037
|1890= 1692
|1900= 2370
|1910= 2743
|1920= 2322
|1930= 2243
|1940= 2386
|1950= 5905
|1960= 8088
|1970= 13298
|1980= 15164
|1990= 19833
|2000= 21400
|2010= 21724
|2020= 22333
|footnote=Source: US Census Bureau
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="wwwcensusgov">{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512074548/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/08000.html |archive-date=May 12, 2015 |access-date=December 11, 2012 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> of 2010, there were 21,724 people, 9,175 households, and 5,464 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|2178.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 9,839 housing units at an average density of {{convert|986.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 85.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 5.6% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.7% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 5.7% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.5% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 9.5% of the population.

There were 9,175 households, of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were [[married couples]] living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.4% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.98.

The median age in the town was 37.3 years. 22.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.8% were from 45 to 64; and 15.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 21,400 people, 8,984 households, and 5,561 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|2,120.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 9,537 housing units at an average density of {{convert|945.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 90.56% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 5.59% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.27% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.93% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.08% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.53% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.80% of the population.

There were 8,984 households, out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were [[married couples]] living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $35,473, and the median income for a family was $44,688. Males had a median income of $30,860 versus $23,329 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $20,315. About 5.6% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Attractions==
[[File:2016WIKI FallsOfTheOhioSP3June13.jpg|thumb|The Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center located next to the Ohio River fossil beds]]
Clarksville has the largest exposed [[fossil]] beds from the [[Devonian period]]. This area has now been incorporated in the [[Falls of the Ohio State Park]], where the state has built an education center. The fossils include plant and marine life from a prehistoric coral reef that are 386 million years old.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome to the Falls of the Ohio |url=http://www.fallsoftheohio.org/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213002036/http://www.fallsoftheohio.org/ |archive-date=December 13, 2007 |access-date=July 13, 2009 |publisher=Fallsoftheohio.org}}</ref>

Several other local parks included sports fields, such as the {{convert|332|acre|km2|1|adj=on}} [[Lapping Park]], which contains a golf course, a Disc Golf course, soft ball field, shelter house, amphitheater, and hiking trails.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Town of Clarksville's Parks |url=http://www.clarksvilleparks.com/parks10.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611151117/http://www.clarksvilleparks.com/parks10.html |archive-date=June 11, 2008 |access-date=July 13, 2009 |publisher=Clarksvilleparks.com}}</ref>

The city has the "7th largest clock in the world", at the former Colgate-Palmolive Plant near the Ohio River.  Many locals still mistakenly claim it as the "2nd largest clock in the world", but it was surpassed years ago.  As the Colgate company closed the plant in early 2008, the clock's future was in question. The town has vowed to keep the clock in its current location, which can be seen from across the river in downtown [[Louisville, Kentucky]].

The Clarksville Little Theater is one of the oldest continuously running community theaters in the United States.  Also located here is Derby Dinner Playhouse, the only dinner theater in the area.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Town of Clarksville: Information |url=http://town.clarksville.in.us/town_information.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810011503/http://town.clarksville.in.us/info.html |archive-date=August 10, 2007}}</ref>
[[File:Texas Roadhouse.jpg|thumb|First Texas Roadhouse at the Green Tree Mall]]

Clarksville is home to several churches, including [[Southeast Christian Church]], Faith Assembly Church,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Faith Assembly Church |url=https://fachurch.org/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231001122253/https://fachurch.org/ |archive-date=October 1, 2023 |access-date=January 26, 2024 |website=fachurch.org}}</ref> St. Anthony Parish,<ref>{{Cite web |title=St. Anthony Parish |url=https://parish.stanthony-clarksville.org/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123045006/https://parish.stanthony-clarksville.org/ |archive-date=January 23, 2019 |access-date=September 7, 2019}}</ref> and Seven Pillars Church International.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HOME |url=https://www.sevenpillarschurch.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807094931/https://www.sevenpillarschurch.com/ |archive-date=August 7, 2020 |access-date=September 7, 2019 |website=Seven Pillars Church}}</ref>

The restaurant chain [[Texas Roadhouse]] first started in Clarksville, and its original location is open as an outlet at the [[Green Tree Mall]]. Clarksville is the home of the United States's second-largest [[Bass Pro]] at the [[River Falls Mall]].

==Education==
[[Clarksville Community School Corporation]],<!--01920--> [[Greater Clark County Schools]],<!--03940--> and [[West Clark Community Schools]]<!--09370--> serve sections of Clarksville.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2020 CENSUS – SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Clark County, IN |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st18_in/schooldistrict_maps/c18019_clark/DC20SD_C18019.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220213213145/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st18_in/schooldistrict_maps/c18019_clark/DC20SD_C18019.pdf |archive-date=February 13, 2022 |access-date=February 13, 2022 |publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

==Notable people==
{{See also|List of people from the Louisville metropolitan area}}

*[[John James Audubon]] spent considerable time here, as he made many of his bird fieldbook sketches at the Falls of the Ohio.<ref name="one">{{Cite web |title=Town of Clarksville:'''Pre-History & History''' |url=http://town.clarksville.in.us/history.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080211183510/http://town.clarksville.in.us/history.html |archive-date=February 11, 2008}}</ref>
*[[Tony Bennett (superintendent)|Tony Bennett]], former Indiana Director of Education
*[[Frank Kimmel]], a [[NASCAR]] driver, was born and lives in Clarksville.
*[[Rose Will Monroe]], aka [[Rosie the Riveter]]

==Twin cities==

The Clarksville sister or twin city program began in 1998.
[[Bewdley]] and [[Melton Mowbray]] in the [[UK]] were the first sister cities to begin friendship ties in 1998 and 1999 and relations have continued.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Town of Clarksville: Sister City Information |url=http://town.clarksville.in.us/calendar.htm#8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070819084911/http://town.clarksville.in.us/sistercities/short_history.html |archive-date=August 19, 2007}}</ref> Most recently [[La Garenne-Colombes]] in [[Paris]] urban area, [[France]] joined the sister cities of Clarksville.<ref>[http://town.clarksville.in.us/tc-minutes/2007/tc062607.html Welcome to the Town of Clarksville<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504121552/http://town.clarksville.in.us/tc-minutes/2007/tc062607.html |date=May 4, 2011 }}</ref>

* {{flagdeco|United Kingdom}} [[Bewdley]], [[Worcestershire]], United Kingdom
* {{flagdeco|United Kingdom}} [[Melton Mowbray]], [[Leicestershire]], United Kingdom
* {{flagdeco|France}} [[La Garenne-Colombes]], [[Île-de-France]], France

==Gallery==
[[File:Ohio River Greenway.jpg|thumb|Ohio River Greenway, Clarksville, IN. Overlooking [[Fourteenth Street Bridge (Ohio River)|Fourteenth Street Bridge]] and Ohio River.]]
<gallery widths="180px" class="center">
Derby_Dinner_Playhouse.jpg|[[Derby Dinner Playhouse]]
Clarksville_High_Indiana.jpg|[[Clarksville Senior High School|Clarksville High School]]
Our Lady of Providence Junior-Senior High School exterior.jpg|[[Our Lady of Providence Junior-Senior High School|Providence High School]]
2016WIKI FallsOfTheOhioSP1June13.jpg|World's largest exposed [[Devonian]] fossil bed is at Clarksville's [[Falls of the Ohio State Park]]
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Clarksville Senior High School]]
* [[Clarks Hill, Indiana]], a community in [[Tippecanoe County]] originally named Clarksville
* [[John Minta]]
* [[List of cities and towns along the Ohio River]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Clarksville, Indiana}}
{{wikivoyage|Clarksville (Indiana)|Clarksville, Indiana}}
* {{Official website|https://www.townofclarksville.com/}}
* [https://clarksvilleparks.com/ Clarksville Parks & Recreation Department]

{{Geographic Location
| title = '''Places in [[Louisville, Kentucky|Greater Louisville]]'''
| Northwest = 
| North = [[Sellersburg, Indiana]]
| Northeast = 
| West = [[New Albany, Indiana]]
| Center = Clarksville
| East = [[Jeffersonville, Indiana]]
| Southwest = 
| South = [[Louisville, Kentucky]]
| Southeast = 
}}
{{Clark County, Indiana}}
{{Louisville}}
{{Indiana}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Clarksville, Indiana| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Indiana]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1783]]
[[Category:Louisville metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Towns in Clark County, Indiana]]
[[Category:Indiana populated places on the Ohio River]]