Overview
Clarksville is an often overlooked destination when it comes to a Tennessee vacation, but Tennessee’s fifth-largest city is an easy day trip from Nashville.
The city, located on the Tennessee-Kentucky line, is perhaps best known as the home of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and the 101st Airborne Division. It is also home to Austin Peay State University, named in honor of a native son and former state governor.
Steeped in history, the downtown is quaint but quiet, comprised mostly of lawyers’ offices interspersed by eateries and merchants. One downtown landmark – the Roxy Regional Theater on Franklin Street – served as the backdrop for Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do” video filmed in 1998.
The following year, a tornado destroyed much of downtown. Since it was largely rebuilt, a series of interpretive panels near the historic courthouse detail Mother Nature’s impact on Clarksville throughout the years.
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Beachaven Winery
Judge William O. Beach paved the way for wine production in Tennessee when he opened this winery in 1987.
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Cumberland River Railroad Bridge
The most impressive railroad relic in Clarksville, Tenn., is the swing bridge over the Cumberland River.
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Cumberland Riverwalk
To take advantage of its best asset, the city built a mile-long walkway along the Cumberland River.
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Customs House Museum
In 1898, the federal government built a customs house and a post office at the corner of Second and Commerce streets to help process the…
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Dunbar Cave
By the 1930s and 1940s, Dunbar Cave was a popular destination, not so much because of its natural splendor, but because of the musical acts…
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Fort Defiance
Confederate troops in November 1861 built defenses overlooking the Cumberland and Red rivers. Following a major battle at Fort Donelson in nearby Dover, Confederate troops…
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Frank Sutton Statue
The city of Clarksville, Tennessee, unveiled the Frank Sutton Statue on Franklin Street in May 2017.
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Greenwood Cemetery
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Historic Montgomery County Courthouse
The historic Montgomery County Courthouse in downtown Clarksville, Tennessee, dates to after the city's great fire of 1878.
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John Montgomery Statue
A statue honoring John Montgomery, the namesake of Montgomery County, was erected in 2002.
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L&N Train Station
Today, the “L&N Depot” is a centerpiece of the Clarksville, Tennessee, community and a popular gathering place for the community.
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Lenora Witzel Statue
In April 2007, a statue was unveiled in downtown Clarksville, Tennessee, honoring Lenora “Nora” Witzel, who has been described as a pioneer and a rebel.
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Cave Johnson
Cave Johnson was a Tennessee attorney, politician and public official whose career included involvement with early federal transportation and communications policy.
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James Elder
James Elder was an early civic leader in Clarksville, Tennessee, who became the city's first mayor in January 1820.
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John Montgomery
John Montgomery was a soldier, pioneer and politician who helped establish Clarksville, Tennessee.
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Valentine Sevier
Valentine Sevier was a pioneer settler and Revolutionary War officer associated with the early settlement of the Clarksville, Tennessee, area.
