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Clarksville is the fifth-largest city in Tennessee, set where the Red River flows into the Cumberland River near the Kentucky border, about 45 minutes northwest of Nashville. Founded in 1785 and named for the frontier general George Rogers Clark, it became a wealthy river town in the 1800s thanks to dark-fired tobacco, which was traded here in huge warehouses and shipped down the Cumberland.
Today Clarksville has about 180,000 residents and is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, driven largely by Fort Campbell, the home of the 101st Airborne Division, just north of town. Austin Peay State University gives the city a college atmosphere, and the historic downtown along Franklin Street has restored Victorian buildings, the Roxy Regional Theatre and the striking 1898 Customs House, now a museum.
The rivers shape much of the city's leisure. McGregor Park and the Cumberland Riverwalk follow the water with trails, a river museum and an amphitheater, and Fort Defiance Civil War Park preserves earthworks above the confluence. Dunbar Cave State Park, with its historic cave entrance and lake, sits on the edge of town, and Nashville's music scene is an easy day trip.
The Customs House Museum and Cultural Center fills an 1898 federal building and a modern wing downtown. Exhibits cover local history, fine art and science, and a large model train layout is a favorite with children. Allow about two hours, and look at the ornate original building outside.
Fort Defiance Civil War Park preserves Confederate earthworks built in 1862 on a bluff above the meeting of the Red and Cumberland rivers. A modern interpretive center explains the fort and the Union occupation of Clarksville. Admission is free, and a short trail leads through the earthworks.
Port Royal State Historic Park sits on the Red River at the site of one of the oldest communities in Middle Tennessee. It was a stagecoach stop and is a certified site on the Trail of Tears. Trails, a historic store building and riverbanks make it a quiet stop for a picnic or a short walk.
The Smith-Trahern Mansion is an 1858 house above the Cumberland River that mixes Greek Revival and Italianate styles, with a widow's walk on the roof. It is used for tours, weddings and events. Ask about tours when it is open, and enjoy the river views from the grounds.
Downtown Clarksville has historic brick streets around Franklin Street and Legion Street, with restaurants, coffee shops, bars and boutiques. It is close to the riverwalk and Austin Peay State University. Look for public murals, and visit during the First Thursday art walk for galleries and music.
Austin Peay State University was founded in 1927 and has a compact campus close to downtown Clarksville. Its historic Browning Building and the Dunn Center sports arena are well known landmarks. Visitors can attend Governors games and theater shows, and campus is easy to walk.
The Roxy Regional Theatre is a professional theater company in a restored 1940s movie house with an Art Deco front on Franklin Street. It stages musicals, plays and holiday shows throughout the year. Check the season schedule and pair a show with dinner at a nearby downtown restaurant.
McGregor Park and the Cumberland Riverwalk run along the Cumberland River downtown, with paved paths, a playground, an amphitheater and the Cumberland River Center with local history exhibits. It hosts summer concerts and festivals. It is a pleasant walk at sunset with boats on the river.
Liberty Park is a riverside park on the Cumberland River with a marina, a fishing lake, walking paths, a dog park and playgrounds. The Freedom Point event center overlooks the lake. It is a good place for a family picnic or a walk, and kayakers can launch from the marina.
Dunbar Cave State Park protects a large limestone cave, a lake and wooded trails in the middle of Clarksville. In the 1930s and 1940s big band dances were held at the cave entrance. Guided cave tours run in the warmer months and must be booked ahead, while the trails are open year round.
Beachaven Vineyards and Winery is a family-run winery near Interstate 24 that has produced Tennessee wines since the 1980s. Visitors can tour the winery and taste dry, sweet and sparkling wines. In summer it hosts popular Jazz on the Lawn evenings, so bring a blanket and a picnic.
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