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Clarksville, Arkansas facts for kids

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Clarksville, Arkansas
Old train station in Clarksville
Old train station in Clarksville
Location of Clarksville in Johnson County, Arkansas
Location of Clarksville in Johnson County, Arkansas
Country United States
State Arkansas
County Johnson
Settled 1819
Established November 1836
Area
 • Total 18.84 sq mi (48.78 km2)
 • Land 18.22 sq mi (47.18 km2)
 • Water 0.62 sq mi (1.60 km2)
Elevation
371 ft (113 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 9,381
 • Density 514.99/sq mi (198.83/km2)
Time zone UTC−06:00 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−05:00 (CDT)
ZIP code
72830
Area codes 479
FIPS code 05-14140
GNIS feature ID 0076626

Clarksville is a city in Johnson County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 9,178, up from 7,719 in 2000. As of 2018, the estimated population was 9,743. The city is the county seat of Johnson County. It is nestled between the Arkansas River and the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, and Interstate 40 and US Highway 64 intersect within the city limits. Clarksville-Johnson County is widely known for its peaches, scenic byways and abundance of natural outdoor recreational activities.

Geography

Clarksville is located at 35°27′50″N 93°28′38″W / 35.46389°N 93.47722°W / 35.46389; -93.47722 (35.464006, -93.477089).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.8 square miles (49 km2), of which 18.0 square miles (47 km2) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2) (4.10%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850 398
1860 316 −20.6%
1870 466 47.5%
1880 656 40.8%
1890 937 42.8%
1900 1,086 15.9%
1910 1,456 34.1%
1920 2,127 46.1%
1930 3,031 42.5%
1940 3,118 2.9%
1950 4,343 39.3%
1960 3,919 −9.8%
1970 4,616 17.8%
1980 5,237 13.5%
1990 5,833 11.4%
2000 7,719 32.3%
2010 9,178 18.9%
2020 9,381 2.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
2014 Estimate

2020 census

Clarksville racial composition
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 5,500 58.63%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 369 3.93%
Native American 53 0.56%
Asian 706 7.53%
Pacific Islander 22 0.23%
Other/Mixed 425 4.53%
Hispanic or Latino 2,306 24.58%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,381 people, 3,456 households, and 2,116 families residing in the city.

Trivia

  • Clarksville is home to the Johnson County Peach Festival. Starting in 1938. It is a nearly week long event (starts on a Tuesday and ends on Saturday) and attracts visitors from all over the country. Activities and events include Barbershop chorus, gospel music, good ol' home cookin, handmade arts and crafts, street dance, frog jumping contest, terrapin derby, greased pig chase, a 4-mile run, parade, jam and jelly bake-off and of course peach and peach cobbler eating contests. It all concludes with the crowning of Queen Elberta, Miss Arkansas Valley and Miss Teen Arkansas Valley pageants. This year's Peach Festival kicks off June 16.
  • The Oark General Store is located 22 miles north of Clarksville in the community of Oark. This is the oldest store in Arkansas that has remained in continuous operation. The building has the original floors, walls, and ceiling and is listed on the "Register of Historical Places in Arkansas". The Cafe features home cooking.
  • The Clarksville post office contains a mural, How Happy was the Occasion, painted in 1941 by Mary M. Purser. Federally commissioned murals were produced from 1934 to 1943 in the United States through the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later called the Section of Fine Arts, of the Treasury Department.

May 25, 2011 Tornado

Clarksville was struck by an EF4 tornado on May 25, 2011. Rogers Avenue sustained damage including signs blown down, many building facades roughed up and lots of trees snapped in half. Areas along and near East Main Street and Poplar Street sustained heavy structural damage, including several heavily damaged homes and apartment buildings. There were 3 fatalities in rural Johnson County during this storm which included two tornadoes.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Clarksville has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.


Education

The Arkansas Cumberland College opened on 8 September 1891 in Clarksville. The privately founded educational institution was renamed the College of the Ozarks in 1920 and became the University of the Ozarks in 1987. The University of the Ozarks is a private, liberal arts based university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Clarksville Schools is the city's public school district. Its mascot is a panther. The school colors are red and white. The school system is broken up into five different categories: Primary (K-1), Elementary (2nd-4th), Middle (5th & 6th), Junior High (7th-9th), and High School (10th-12th).

In 2011, Clarksville became the first school district in the state of Arkansas to issue every student in the 7th through 12th grades their own take home laptop computer. A video documenting the new measure can be seen here.

The Clarksville School District has a graduation rate of over 92%.

Notable people

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Clarkville, in alphabetical order by last name.

  • Zane Beck (1927–1985), Steel Guitar Hall of Fame member (1991), Pedal steel guitarist and guitar manufacturer.
  • Bill Doolin (1858-1896), Old West outlaw born in Clarksville
  • Gordon Houston (1916-1942), born in Clarksville, the first professional baseball player to die during active duty in World War II.
  • Ralphie May (1972-2017), comedian raised in Clarksville
  • Arch McKennon, Quartermaster of the 16th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, attorney and politician
  • Pierce McKennon (1919-1947), World War II flying ace
  • Imogene McConnell Ragon (1887-1980), "The Painter of the Ozarks", born and raised in Clarksville, attended the College of the Ozarks and the St. Louis School of Fine Arts

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Clarksville (Arkansas) para niños

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