Clarksville, Tennessee News & History

Top 10 Most Important Events for Clarksville, Tennessee

1785City Founded: Clarksville was established on the Cumberland River and named for Revolutionary War hero George Rogers Clark.

1942Fort Campbell Established: Camp Campbell was built straddling the Tennessee-Kentucky border, eventually becoming Fort Campbell and home to the 101st Airborne.

1999F4 Tornado: A devastating tornado struck downtown Clarksville, killing several people and destroying historic buildings.

2010Fastest Growing in TN: Clarksville became one of Tennessee's fastest-growing cities, driven by Fort Campbell expansion and affordable housing.

2023Austin Peay Growth: Austin Peay State University expanded enrollment significantly, strengthening the city's education sector.

Complete Historical Timeline

1785 Government

Founded on Cumberland River

1861 Disaster

Strategic Civil War site

1942 Government

Fort Campbell established

1956 Government

101st Airborne permanently based

1999 Disaster

F4 tornado hits downtown

2010 Government

Fastest-growing TN city

2023 Government

Population approaches 195,000

Did You Know?

Fort Campbell straddles the Tennessee-Kentucky state line — soldiers can literally walk from one state to another on base.

The 101st Airborne 'Screaming Eagles' at Fort Campbell are famous for the Battle of the Bulge and D-Day operations.

Clarksville has doubled its population since 1990, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in the Southeast.

Famous People from Clarksville, Tennessee

Wilma Rudolph

Sprinter · Born Jun 23, 1940 · Died Nov 12, 1994 (age 54)

Pat Summitt

Basketball Player, Basketball Coach · Born Jun 14, 1952 · Died Jun 28, 2016 (age 64)

Dorothy Jordan

Actor, Film Actor · Born Aug 9, 1906 · Died Dec 7, 1988 (age 82)

Ernest William Goodpasture

Military Officer, University Teacher · Born Oct 17, 1886 · Died Sep 20, 1960 (age 73)

Phil Roe

Physician, Politician · Born Jul 21, 1945 · Age 80