Clarksville, Indiana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Town of Clarksville, Indiana | |
| Location in the state of Indiana | |
| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Clark |
| Government | |
| - Type | Town Council |
| - President | Paul Kraft |
| Area | |
| - Total | 10.2 sq mi (26.4 km²) |
| - Land | 10.1 sq mi (26.1 km²) |
| - Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²) |
| Elevation | 456 ft (139 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 21,400 |
| - Density | 2,120.9/sq mi (818.9/km²) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 47129, 47131 |
| Area code(s) | 812 |
| FIPS code | 18-12934GR2 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0432578GR3 |
| Website: Clarksville's Website | |
Clarksville is a town in Clark County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 21,400 at the 2000 United States Census.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Clarksville is located at (38.311885, -85.767265)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 10.2 square miles (26.4 km²), of which, 10.1 square miles (26.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.79%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 21,400 people, 8,984 households, and 5,561 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,120.6 people per square mile (818.9/km²). There were 9,537 housing units at an average density of 945.1/sq mi (364.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.56% White, 5.59% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.08% from other races, and 1.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or 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.
[edit] History
Clarksville is named for American Revolutionary War General George Rogers Clark who lived for a time on a point of land on the Ohio River. Founded in 1783, the town is believed to be the first true American settlement in the Northwest Territory.
Renowned historian Stephen Ambrose writes of Lewis and Clark in Undaunted Courage, "When they shook hands, the Lewis and Clark Expedition began." However, several other localities also claim to be the start of Lewis and Clark's west expedition, most notably St. Louis, Missouri.[1]
The town failed to flourish in the 1800s, due to the many floods. It was a popular dueling spot for Kentuckians who wanted to dodge Kentucky's anti-dueling laws. The most famous of these was the 1809 duel between Henry Clay and Humphrey Marshall. 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.
The town would be managed by a ten member Board of Trustees in the charter from Virginia.[1] 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 didn't have to reside in the town. This remaind controversial with residents until 1889 when the board stopped meeting and was replaced by a three member board. One member selected by the Floyd County Commissioners, One member selected by the Clark County Commissionsers, and one member selected by residents of Clarksville. So members living outside the bounderies of Clarksville remained a problem. At an unknown date between 1889 and 1937 the board became a five member board entirely elected by residents, however the exact records of the change were lost in the 1937 Flood of the Ohio River. [1]
Clarksville would finally grow due to the post-World War II housing boom. The population went from 2,400 in 1940 to 22,000 in 2000. This was helped by the expansion of the town to the North. By 1981 the State of Indiana changed statutes to convert a board of trustees to a council with members rather than trustees. In 1990 the Town Council expanded it's members from five to seven following from the growth of the town.[1]
[edit] Attractions and other notabilitiy
Clarksville has the largest exposed fossil beds from the Devonian period and the state has built an education center and declared the area, alongside the Ohio River and bordering Kentucky, the Falls of the Ohio State Park. These fossils include plant and marine life from a prehistoric coral reef that are 386 million-years-old.[2]
Clarksville has several parks and sports fields such as 332-acre Lapping Park which contains several things such as a gold course, soft ball field, shelter house, anmphitheater, and hiking trails.[3]
The town also has the Clarksville Little Theater, one of the oldest continuously running community theaters in the United States, and Derby Dinner Playhouse, the only dinner theater in the area.[4]
Clarksville is the birthplace of the restaurant chain Texas Roadhouse which is still located at its original location in the Green Tree Mall. In addition to those retail accomplishments Clarksville is also the home to the nations second largest Bass Pro at the River Falls Mall.
Notable people of Clarksville are John James Audubon which did many of his bird fieldbook sketches at the Falls of the Ohio.[1] and Frank Kimmel a NASCAR driver born in Clarksville.
[edit] Twin cities
The Clarksville sister or twin city program began in 1998. Bewdley and Melton Mowbray of England were the first sister cities to begin friendship ties in 1998 and 1999 and relations have continued.[5] Most recently La Garenne-Colombes in Paris urban area, France, European Union joined the sister cities of Clarksville.[6]
[edit] Gallery
Derby Dinner Playhouse.jpg
|
Clarksville High Indiana.jpg
Clarksville High School |
Providence Clarksville.jpg
Providence High School |
GRC Cabin 2.jpg
George Rogers Clark Cabin |
[edit] See also
- List of cities and towns along the Ohio River
- Clarksville Senior High School
- Clarks Hill, Indiana, a community in Tippecanoe County originally named Clarksville
[edit] External links
- Town of Clarksville official site
- Clarksville Sister Cities
- Clarksville Parks Department
- Clarksville Historical Society
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e http://town.clarksville.in.us/history.html
- ^ http://www.fallsoftheohio.org/
- ^ http://www.clarksvilleparks.com/parks10.html
- ^ http://town.clarksville.in.us/info.html
- ^ http://town.clarksville.in.us/sistercities/short_history.html
- ^ http://town.clarksville.in.us/meetings/tc-minutes/2007/tc062607.html
- Clarksville, Indiana is at coordinates Coordinates:
Municipalities and communities of Clark County, Indiana | ||
|---|---|---|
| County seat: Jeffersonville | ||
| Cities and towns | Borden | Charlestown | Clarksville | Jeffersonville | Sellersburg | Utica | |
| Townships | Bethlehem | Carr | Charlestown | Jeffersonville | Monroe | Oregon | Owen | Silver Creek | Union | Utica | Washington | Wood | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | Arctic Springs | Bennettsville | Bethlehem | Blue Lick | Broom Hill | Carwood | Cementville | Hamburg | Hibernia | Longview Beach | Marysville | New Liberty | New Market | Otisco | Otto | Owen | Perry Crossing | Prather | River Ridge | Rolling Hills | Runyantown | Speed | Starlight | Sunset Village | Underwood | Vesta | Watson | Wilson | |
Louisville, Kentucky • Portal | ||
|---|---|---|
| Subject areas | Attractions/Events • Cityscape • Economy • Education • Geography • Government • History • Media • Neighborhoods • Parks • People • Performing arts • Sports • Transportation | Image:Fleur-de-lis-3d.png |
| Top subjects | Cave Hill Cemetery • Falls of the Ohio • Farmington • Kentucky Derby • Louisville Cardinals • Louisville in the Civil War • Louisville Slugger • Old Louisville • University of Louisville | |
| National Historic Landmarks | Belle of Louisville • Churchill Downs • Locust Grove • Mayor Andrew Broaddus • Old Bank • Zachary Taylor House • United States Marine Hospital • Water Tower | |
| Prominent suburbs (over 10K pop.) | Bardstown • Clarksville • Jeffersonville • New Albany • Shelbyville • Shepherdsville | |
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