My favorite places to travel are to those with unique, awe-inspiring architecture that’s characteristic to its region. New Orleans wrought iron balconies hanging above the French Quarter, the gingerbread detailing on Savannah’s Victorian homes, the sprawling Antebellum Georgian Plantation Homes spread out all across The South – I can’t not visit these places without a grin on my face, my eyes wide & a camera at the ready in hand. My recent visit to Clarksville had a similar effect on me with its abundance of stunning Southern architecture too.
I’m rounding up things to see in Clarksville TN and 10 architectural marvels we spotted during our trip that you absolutely can’t miss when you’re visiting Clarksville, Tennesse … below!
Clarksville was settled in the late 1700s and instantly went on to become a booming force in America’s early tobacco industry. This riverfront city flourished thanks to the trade. The arrival of the railroad connected Clarksville to neighboring cities bringing even more growth and prosperity. Today, Clarksville has a lot to show off thanks to its early inhabits fine tastes in architecture and style.
Things to See in Clarksville TN:
1. Montgomery County Courthouse
Built in the late 1800s, the red brick Second Empire style courthouse is a landmark symbol to historic Clarksville. The 1999 tornado that hit the city caused extensive damage to this historic site but it was restored soon after. When strolling past the courthouse, be sure to admire the building’s iconic clock tower. It rises an impressive 150 ft. above the ground and features Italianate and Victorian design elements. Twin statues of “Justice” sit above the East and West entrances, greeting visitors as they enter the doors below.
2. The Streets of Downtown Clarksville
Locally-owned restaurants, stylish boutiques, coffee shops, and small businesses fill the historic buildings lining the streets of downtown Clarksville. These brick and mortar buildings date back to the 1870s and at one time housed everything from the local grocer to a tobacco emporium. As you’re walking in and out of shops along Franklin Street, be sure to look up every so often to spot many of the intricate architectural details trimming the brick buildings above.
3. Antebellum Homes in Abundance
I could do a blog post filled with images of all the different antebellum homes we saw and snapped during our stay in Clarksville. Drive around close to downtown and you’ll definitely spot a few. A walk down Madison Street will have you strolling past several beautiful homes in the span of just a few minutes. The red brick one above was built in 1886 and is an Italianate Revival. The grand tan historic home above that now houses a local bank with a teller drive-through on the side. It’s so amazing to see how the beautiful architecture in the city has been preserved to house something as common today as a bank.
4. Customs House Museum and Cultural Center
The Customs House Museum sits inside what was once Clarksville’s original custom’s house and post office. This magnificent building was built in 1898 and originally designed to handle the high volume of mail generated by Clarksville’s tobacco industry. But just because it needed to be large in size didn’t mean it could sacrifice on style. The building’s original architect incorporated a number of different styles including Queen Anne, Italianate, Gothic, Romanesque, and even Flemish. This unusual combination of so many different styles gives the building a unique and elegant look.
The Customs House is adorned with small details from top to bottom showing how important this building was meant to be. Large eagles are perched on its four corners with steep gabled windows nestled in the brick and terra-cotta exterior. The real showstoppers are the 20 dormer windows nestled along the building’s roof with an ornate tower rising at its center. Today, this 19th-century building boasts Tennessee’s second-largest general museum and is a must visit spot on your next Clarksville trip.
5. Smith-Trahern Mansion
This impressive antebellum home sits on a bluff overlooking the Cumberland River. Built in the 1850s, the Smith-Trahern Mansion’s original owner Christopher Smith was a wealthy tobacconist who had the home built in a Greek Revival and Italianate style that was very popular at the time. The interior boasts a curved staircase built along the back wall, a magnificent marble fireplace and three stunning stained-glass windows with a view of the river on the second floor among many other opulent details you’ll just have to see for yourself! Visitors can tour the mansion for just a small $2 donation on Mondays through Fridays.
6. Strawberry Alley
A stroll down Strawberry Alley, which gets its namesake from a strawberry patch that once grew in this very spot – will delight walkers with a blend of beauty both old and new. The bronze and marble fountain pictured above was donated to the city just a decade ago and lies in the middle of this charming block. Sculptures of children at play adorn the twenty ft. tall fountain in the hopes to encourage admirers to continue to nurture the children of Clarksville. Just across the street, you’ll spot a bright blue antique style clock that spells out Clarksville, TN in bright gold. After you’ve had a glimpse of the two, head on down a little further for a cup of joe at Yada Yada Yada coffee shop or craft beer at Strawberry Alley Ale Works across the street.
7. Roxy Regional Theater
Built in 1915, and originally called the Lillian, the Roxy is now one of the few Art Deco style theaters preserved in the United States. With its neon lights shining bright, the Roxy was originally built as a cinema – playing black and white films and later colorful movies for Clarksville’s residents. Today, the theater houses a grand stage and possesses its very own theater company.
8. Madison Street United Methodist Church
This Victorian era cathedral is a beautiful juxtaposition of contemporary design and Gothic architecture – but it wasn’t always this way. The tornado of 1999 devasted a large portion of the church, wiping out the two steeples entirely. The Methodist Church was restored to its original look but updated with silhouettes of the two steeples that were lost.
9. Trinity Episcopal Church
This grand Romanesque-style church built in 1877 with cut gray stones and is nestled in the heart of downtown Clarksville. A bright red arched doorway with an even larger stone arch supporting by gothic columns welcomes parishioners in to worship every day of the week. Trinity was also hit hard by the 1999 tornado, losing part of the steeple and the entire roof. The sides of the churched remained giving the building enough structure for a complete restoration.
10. First Presbyterian Church
This Neo-Gothic church was built in 1878 and is on the list of National Historic Places. Several stained glass rosette windows let light brimming with color seep into its grand sanctuary. Architecture enthusiasts can soak in the sight of the First Presbyterian Church of Clarksville while lounging in an Adirondack chair at the Downtown Commons, a versatile greenspace brimming with all sorts of activities, just across the street.
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I had such fun finding things to see Clarksville TN, snapping these photos throughout our stay & taking you all on an in-depth experience into historic Southern-style architecture with me. This post is a bit different than the normal content I typically share here but I’m so excited to give you all something new and inspiring in a different way today.
A big big thank you to Visit Clarksville for inviting me to discover your charming city last month and for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own and thank you all so much for supporting the brands that make Lone Star Looking Glass possible.
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xo, alice
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