Clarksville has a long and rich history. In 1871, after the end of the Civil War, Charles Clark, a freed slave, established the community of Clarksville as a place where other freed slaves could reunite with their families and friends and direct their own lives. It was the first freedman's town West of the Mississippi. The area now known as Clarksville actually dates to back to the days of slavery. It was the location of the slave quarters for at least some of the slaves who worked for Governor Elisha Pease on Woodlawn, his planation. Woodlawn encompassed much of Old West Austin, including Pease Park, and the plantation house, now known as the Pease Mansion, still stands at the corner of Niles and Pease Roads. In 1865 after the slaves were emancipated, Pease granted and sold some of his favorite former slaves land in the area that later became known as Clarksville where they built simple homes and raised their families in what was a densely wooded area with dirt paths far outside of Austin. Early residents of Clarksville included Elias Mays, a Black state legislator who built his home in the neighborhood in 1884, and Reverend Jacob Fontaine. Fontaine was one of the founders of the Sweet Home Baptist Church located on West 11th Street in Clarksville. He also began the Gold Dollar, Austin's first Black newspaper. Although many of the original homes built in Clarksville are long gone and despite years of pressure from land speculation, the destruction of one-third of Clarksville due to the construction of Mopac, rising property taxes and gentrification, the Clarksville neighborhood still maintains a unique cultural, architectural, and historic identity. In fact, descendants of Clarksville's early settlers continue to call the neighborhood home. The Haskell House One of Clarksville's historic treasures is the Haskell House, located at 1703 Waterston. It is an historic landmark and a great example of early Clarksville architecture. Located on City of Austin dedicated parkland, the CCDC has a long term lease to maintain and manage the property. The Clarksville Community Garden is located behind the house. Click here for more information about the Haskell House. Sweet Home Baptist Church Sweet Home Missionary Baptist church has been a historic icon in Clarksville for 137 years. Click here for more information about Sweet Home. Texas Confederate Home The African American community of Clarksville and The Texas Confederate Home for Men coexisted in the hills west of downtown Austin for over seventy-five years. The presence of the Confederate Home profoundly affected the self-sufficient community of Clarksville, and years later, it still holds an important place in the memories of many former Clarksville residents. Click here for more information about the Texas Confederate Home.