Clarksville, Indiana

Clarksville is a town in Clark County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River and is a part of the. The population was 21,724 at the. The town was founded in 1783 by early resident at the only seasonal rapids on the entire Ohio River, it is the oldest American town in the. The town is home to the, one of the largest clocks in the world and the , home to the world's largest exposed period  bed.

History
The site that would become Clarksville was first used as a base of operations by George Rogers Clark during the. In 1778 he established a post on an island at the head of the, from which he trained his 175-man regiment for the defense to the west. After the war, Clark was granted a tract of 150,000 acre for his services in the war. In 1783, 1,000 acre were set aside for the development of a town, Clarksville. The same year a stockade was built and settlement began.

The explorer was a younger brother of. Renowned 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.

Due to the many floods in the nineteenth century and the 's failed competition to build a canal around the Ohio Falls, the town struggled. On August 24, 1805 the 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 conspiracy of. 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.

Clarksville became a popular dueling spot for Kentuckians who wanted to dodge their home state's anti-dueling laws. The most famous of these was the 1809 duel between 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 was managed by a ten-member Board of Trustees in the charter from Virginia. 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.

The Great Flood of 1937 decimated the town. The entire town was submerged beneath as much as 12 ft 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- housing boom and new jobs brought growth to the city. The population has 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. 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
Clarksville is located at 38.31194°N, -85.76722°W (38.311885, -85.767265).

According to the 2010 census, Clarksville has a total area of 10.17 sqmi, of which 9.97 sqmi (or 98.03%) is land and 0.2 sqmi (or 1.97%) is water.

2010 census
As of the of 2010, there were 21,724 people, 9,175 households, and 5,464 families residing in the town. The was 2,178.9 inhabitants per square mile (841.3/km2). There were 9,839 housing units at an average density of 986.9 per square mile (381.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 85.1% White, 5.6% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 5.7% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or 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 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 of 2000, there were 21,400 people, 8,984 households, and 5,561 families residing in the town. The was 2,120.6 people per square mile (818.9/km²). There were 9,537 housing units at an average density of 945.1 per square mile (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 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 for the town was $20,315. About 5.6% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Attractions
Clarksville has the largest exposed beds from the. This area has now been incorporated in the, 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.

Several other local parks included sports fields, such as the 332 acre Lapping Park, which contains a golf course, soft ball field, shelter house, amphitheater, and hiking trails.

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. and Seven Pillars Church International.

The restaurant chain Texas Roadhouse originated here, and it has kept an outlet at its original location in the. Clarksville is also the home of the nation's second largest Bass Pro at the River Falls Mall.

Twin cities
The Clarksville sister or twin city program began in 1998. and in the UK were the first sister cities to begin friendship ties in 1998 and 1999 and relations have continued. Most recently La Garenne-Colombes in Paris urban area, France joined the sister cities of Clarksville. Most recently La Garenne-Colombes in Paris urban area, France joined the sister cities of Clarksville.


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