Clarksville Historic District

Clarksville is an historic Black neighborhood, founded as a rural settlement west of Austin in the 1870's. Despite the growth of white suburban neighborhoods surrounding Clarksville in the early 20th century and despite the fact that the predominant Black settlement is now concentrated in the eastern part of the city, the community has survived as a small Black enclave in west Austin. Clarksville represents one of the oldest continuous neighborhoods in the city. Unlike the eventual decline of some older neighborhoods, Clarksville has been occupied continuously by new generations, maintaining a sense of lineal stability. The settlement has been the home of working class and farming Blacks, in addition to prominent Black leaders. Set apart from the rest of west Austin by its narrow unpaved streets, extremely modest frame and board and batten, one-story houses, and wooded undeveloped lots, the area is a visually identifiable district. More important, however, is the fact that this neighborhood, symbolizing the struggle of Black families in 19th century Austin to create a new life and community of their own, remains intact despite 20th century threats. Clarksville represents an epoch of ethnic history that figures prominently into the development of Austin.

Following Emancipation in Texas many Blacks deserted the plantations and entered cities in search of employment, educational opportunities and military protection. In Austin, as in other cities, this situation created a desperate need for affordable housing. Black leaders, such as Rev. Jacob Fontaine, an Austin minister, went to white land agents seeking to get large portions of property subdivided and sold to freedmen so they could build their own houses. One of the most influential aids to the Blacks was the Freedman's Bureau, established by Congress in 1865 to assist the newly-freed slaves and impoverished whites. Operating in Texas for four years, one of the organization's consistent pleas was to urge Black families to avoid the oppressive rent system.

On August 11, 1871, Charles (Griffin) Clark bought two acres of land from N. G. Shelly west of the city of Austin on what is today west 10th street. A former slave, Clark had chosen the surname as his freeman's name. The community was later named in honor of this man who founded the Black community. His land formed the nucleus of the community that Clark, according to tradition, wanted to found for newly-freed men and women giving them the opportunity to direct their own lives with the support and encouragement of their friends.

The land on which Clark settled was about a half a mile south of an 1850's Greek Revival Mansion on an adjoining plantation owned by E.M. Pease, the Governor of Texas from 1853 to 1857, a Union sympathizer during the Civil War and later a Reconstruction Governor. Local residents contend that in the 1870's Pease gave several lots in Clarksville to some of his former slaves. It is possible that part of this area could have been used for slave quarters prior to the Civil War, for the boundaries of the old Pease property are adjacent to the Clarksville community. The friendly relationship between Pease and Clarksville residents continued over the years. A Christmas party for Clarksville children was given annually on the Pease Estate and frequently the Juneteenth (Texas Emancipation Day) festivities would be celebrated there.

Many black settlers followed Clark in the 1870's to the location west of Austin. Essex Carrington bought land on Waterston street from Max Mass on December 9, 1872. Mr. Carrington worked on the Negro staff of the Washington Hose Company, an early fire department. The Carrington family members have been continuous residents of Clarksville. Essex's grandson. Rev, H. J, Carrington, a longtime minister and a community organizer and leader, died just a few years ago and his wife resides at 1715 Waterson, Jim Morris moved into Clarksville in 1876 and his house stood until just recently on west 11th street, Morris worked for Governor Pease on the Pease Estate.

In 1875 Rose Walker bought land in the area of west 11th and Essex Ave, When Mrs, Walker and her husband died they deeded the property to their foster daughter Bettie Bryant, Mrs. Bryant's husband. Reason, was employed at the Round Rock stone quarry and was also trustee of the community church. Reason and Bettie Bryant, in tum, willed their property to their daughter Lillian Bryant Edmerson, In 1921, Willis S, Edmerson, a contractor, settled in Clarksville after marrying Lillian, Edmerson later drew up the plans for rebuilding the present Clarksville church, in addition to building several homes in the community.

He was also responsible for several other buildings in Austin, including the First New Mount Olive Church, Rosewood Church, St, Peter's Methodist Church and McKinley Heights Church, Mrs, Edmerson still lives at the comer of west 11th and Old Essex Avenue.

Perhaps the oldest house in the district is at 1703 Waterston. The property was purchased January 1, 1875, by a former slave named Peter Tucker, and the house was probably built shortly afterward. The house was owned by a succession of residents until Hezekiah Haskell, a former Union solider from Baltimore, married into the family that lived there in 1885, Haskell had come to Texas as a "Buffalo Soldier", and member of the Black Cavalry Units that were brought to Texas in the 1870's and 1880's to fight the Indians, His son, also named Hezikiah, continued to reside in the house until his death in January, 1976, at the age of 93.

One of the most prominent Black leaders to live in Clarksville was Elias Mayes, who served two terms as a State Legislator from Brazos County. Elias Mayes was one of 8 Black Legislators to the 16th Legislative session in 1870 and one of only 2 Black Legislators to the 21st session in 1889. Mayes was born in Conecuh County, Alabama, in 1831. He came to Texas in 1863, settling first in Montgomery County. In 1866 he moved to Brazos County where he farmed and served as pastor of his neighborhood church, Elias purchased two lots on west 10th street in Austin from Charles Clark in 1884, His son, Ben May (at some time the last two letters were dropped on the name) lived on the original property at 1624 west 10th until his death in 1975.

Until the 1930's Clarksville was surrounded by a wooded area. White families began building in west Austin as early as the 1880's, but the main housing area was still about a mile east of the black community and there were no through roads to Clarksville. Just to the south of Clarksville a home for Confederate veterans was built in the 1880's and was in continual use until the last residents died in the late 1960's. The home provided employment for some Clarksville residents, and according to local stories, the two groups proved compatible neighbors.

Probably the most significant force binding the community together since the 1880's has been the community church. Sweet Home Baptist Church. As soon as people began settling in Clarksville, they informally organized the church, Edmund and Mary Smith began holding prayer meetings in their home. These became the basis for community interaction and exchange. On July 1, 1882, land for the church was bought by the Clarksville residents for $50.00 cash. The first meetings on the church property were held under a brush arbor and the church was built shortly afterward. The church building has been rebuilt three times, the last time in 1935. According to the plan of local resident, W. S. Edmerson, the 1935 structure faces north on 11th street. The church has bound the Clarksville together throughout its history. Serving as the meeting place for community organizations, as well as for religious purposes. Sweet Home serves as the focal point of the neighborhood.

The minister of Sweet Home has always played a central role in the political, social and religious life of the community. Many of these ministers have become recognized leaders outside of the community, as well. Rev, Jacob Fontaine, an early organizer of Sweet Home Baptist Church was a leader in unifying the Negro Baptist churches in Austin and founded the first Austin Black newspaper, "The Gold Dollar", In the late 1940's and 1950's the pastor of Sweet Home Baptist Church, Rev, W, L, Holland, won national fame as a welfare worker and organizer. He founded the West Side Community House, whose goal was to train and find employment for Negro domestics. In the late 1950's he helped organize a neighborhood child care center, clinic, etc.

Another important element in Clarksville was the Clarksville school. The first school classes were taught by Maggie Mayes, wife of Elias Mayes, Known as "Pay School",classes were first held in the Mayes Home and later in the church building. In 1917 a structure was built on the lot now serving as the Clarksville playground and this public school was called the Clarksville Colored School. It served grades 1-6, after which Clarksville children were bused to East Austin to attend Junior and Senior High School. Periodic enrollment counts taken in 1924, 1934, and 1940,respectively, show 69, 66, and 70 students. The school, for those years staffed by all Black teachers and a Black principal, served as an important educational and unifying element in the growing community. The school was moved in the 1960's and the children were absorbed into surrounding schools.

The semi-rural atmosphere that surrounded and isolated Clarksville during the first 50 years of its existence began changing dramatically in the 1920's and 1930's, During the 1920's R. Niles Graham, inheritor of the Pease Estate began to subdivide the former Pease land into an exclusive subdivision known as the "Enfield Addition", Large two-story mansions and wealthy residents began appearing in this area while more modest homes were built immediately to the east of Clarksville. New employment advantages existed for Clarksville residents, but city improvements to the surrounding subdivisions were not extended to the Black neighborhood. In fact, by 1928 the city accepted a Master Plan which recommended "that all the facilities and conveniences be provided the Negroes in East Austin, as an incentive to draw the Negro population to the area". While this Master Plan was eliminated in favor of a new one in 1954, only a minimal amount of city services have been provided to Clarksville.

Prior to 1971 the Clarksville community spread several blocks west of the Missouri-Pacific Railroad tracts. Many residents sold their property west of the tracts as white suburbs spread further west. But the most devastating force to the community came in 1971 when a north-south express-way began construction on either side of the Mo-Pac tracks and nearly 1/3 of the Clarksville houses were razed to accommodate the transportation route. Another major threat came when the City voted in 1972 to build an east-west crosstown expressway to connect with the Mo-Pac expressway. The route was planned to cut through the center of the narrow Clarksville district, effectively eliminating the neighborhood. Due to a sympathetic study done by The University of Texas Architecture department, adverse public reaction, and sharp inflationary price increases, the plan has been tabled, but has not yet been eliminated from the City Master Plan.

Courageously, Clarksville has withstood the innumerable 20th century encroachments. Of the 6 or 7 comparable Black enclaves that survived through the early 20th century in various locations throughout the city, only Clarksville and a small Black neighborhood in northeast Austin remain. Now the most critical threat to the community's survival is the deteriorating condition of its homes and the terrible condition of its streets and drainage system. With the increased publicity about Clarksville's heritage and a growing awareness of the community's pride and unity, the city has committed itself to a major effort at rehabilitation. Housing and Community Development funds for 1976 have been voted to the area for housing rehabilitation, street and drainage improvements, and park improvements. By working closely with Clarksville residents and historical groups, the city hopes to assist the neighborhood in achieving a new vitality without losing its old identity.