Clarksville was a 2-acre lot given to a freed slave Charles Clark after emancipation. The Texas law at the time allowed ex-slaves to create Freedman Communities. If the land was occupied and maintained for 6 years the person or family could own the land they either settled on or was given to them. So in 1871 Clarksville was officially established.
In the 1960’s and 70’s Austin’s rapidly growing hippy scene which ultimately gave birth to the music scene of long haired folk/country music moved into Clarksville because of the cheap rent.
When Mopac was built it greatly affected this rural tight-knit black community.
Watch this video produced and directed by in George Leo Nelson in 1970 to get an idea of what the now trendy Clarksville used to be like: Click here
Click here to watch the video of musician Otis Gibbs remembering Clarksville
