With over 100,000 residents, Clarksville is no longer the small town of my youth. When I was growing up there in the 1960s, the town’s identity was tied to county government and Austin Peay State University. The big city was Nashville, over an hour’s drive away on Highway 41A. Today, it’s just a 40-minute trip via I-24.
In many ways, the Clarksville that I knew as a kid is still very much alive, though the tornado that swept through the city square a few years ago took most of the historic courthouse and many of my fondest memories with it. Long gone, too, are the old movie theaters, department stores and soda fountains along Franklin Street where I used to kill time on Saturday afternoons.
Roxy Regional Theatre (931) 645-7699 on Franklin is well worth a visit, though. It’s Clarksville’s oldest professional theatre, founded 19 years ago in the 1947 Art Deco movie theater where I remember seeing Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up way back in 1966. The Roxy produces 10 shows a year, from the latest Broadway musicals to Shakespeare, with both professional and talented community performers.
You’ll find a few shops and eateries downtown, though these come and go with a frequency that makes them tough to keep track of. For a beer, some great pizza or a Caesar salad with grilled salmon, drop by the Franklin Street Pub/Blackhorse Brewery, a popular downtown gathering spot for a number of years now.
The Custom House Museum and Cultural Center (931) 648-5780 on the town square is one of the city’s most enduring landmarks. Miraculously, it escaped severe damage when the tornado almost leveled the courthouse across the street. Built in 1898 as a U.S. Post Office and Customs House, this architectural curiosity—it looks like a cross between a Chinese pagoda and a Victorian mansion—is among the most photographed buildings in Tennessee.
When I was growing up, it housed a regional utility company, but several years ago it was restored and converted into the state’s second largest general history museum. The museum features an art gallery and a sculpture garden along with permanent history exhibits and an area for kids and families to play and learn. You’ll also see a bronze statue of the late Wilma Rudolph, the young Clarksville track star who went on to become one of America’s most outstanding Olympic athletes and human rights activists.
Austin Peay State University is just a few blocks from downtown. The university’s Center for the Creative Arts (931) 221-7876 presents theatrical productions, recitals, concerts, literary readings and art exhibitions. Cumberland RiverWalk, a nicely done promenade along the Cumberland River, is also near downtown. It includes an amphitheater, a playground, picnic facilities, performance stages and a boat ramp where the annual RiverFest musical festival unfolds each September. At Christmas you can join area families as they stroll through an impressive lights display.
Historic Collinsville (931) 648-9141, a living-history museum with restored log homes and outbuildings dating from 1830 to 1870, is several miles south of Clarksville. The 40-acre site on Weakley Road in Southside also features picnic areas and walking trails. For a more adult activity, visit Beachaven Winery (931) 645-8867 for a free tour and tastings of some award-winning wines and champagnes. There are often live musical events on the grounds during the summer months. Look for the Tudor-style building and vineyards as you take exit 4 on I-24.
If fried catfish is your thing, you might want to try Wilson’s Catfish, located near Governor’s Square Mall and not far from the winery. The mall area is Clarksville’s answer to Cool Springs, with all the usual chain eateries and stores you’d expect. The best bet for fried food, however, is the Catfish House, across the river from Clarksville on Highway 13. You’ll also find Mayfield’s, for excellent lean, pulled pork barbecue, just off this road. Cumberland Grille, on Madison Street near downtown, is locally owned and offers a more upscale menu of steaks, chops and seafood in huge portions.
For more information, contact the Clarksville/Montgomery County Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 530-2487 or www.clarksville.tn.us
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