Clarksville, “The Gateway to the New South,” is overlooked when it comes to a Tennessee visit.
But, it doesn’t have to be. Here are some sights worth seeing during a Middle Tennessee getaway.
Dunbar Cave
By the 1930s and 1940s, Dunbar Cave was a popular destination. Not so much because of its natural splendor, but because of the musical acts that performed at the cave entrance. Roy Acuff, who eventually purchased the cave, was among the acts to bring his show to the area.
The 8-mile-long Dunbar Cave was formed millions of years ago and has always attracted people. During digs at the site, archeologists found Paleo-Indian artifacts buried near the cave entrance, and in 2005, Indian glyphs were discovered on the cave walls.
Over the years, the cave has had a number of interesting uses. During the Mexican-American War, saltpeter was mined for use in gunpowder. But the cave’s most frequent use has often revolved around tourism.
Leading up to the Civil War, developers built cabins on the site, according to The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, and a two-story hotel later appeared after J. A. Tate purchased the land. The hotel lasted until the 1950s and a pool at the site was buried a decade later. In 1973, the state purchased the land to create a state park.
The 110-acre park today features a number of outdoor activities, including fishing and cave tours.
Poston Building
The Cumberland River has always played an important role in the history of Clarksville and helped transport locally-grown tobacco to a number of destinations nationwide. A reminder of the city’s past is clearly visible on the side of a building on the city’s Public Square and overlooking the Cumberland River.
In the 1870s, an advertisement was painted on the side of the Poston Building. Much like a billboard situated along the side of the interstate, the building served as a billboard to the passing river traffic.
Customs House Museum
In 1898, the federal government built a customs house and a post office at the corner of Second and Commerce streets to help process the increasing volumes of mail to and from the city.
In 1984, the building was transformed into the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center – touted as the “state’s second-largest general interest museum.” The museum features a number of permanent exhibits, including the postmaster’s office and “Memory Lane,” dedicated to telling the story of Clarksville and Montgomery County’s history.
Railroad History
Standing on 10th Street in downtown Clarksville, it’s hard to imagine this area was once a bustling transportation hub around the turn of the 20th century.
The old depot, known by locals as the L&N Station, dates to September 1881 when workers broke ground, but it has been refurbished a number of times over the years, according to the Montgomery County Historical Society.
The swing bridge over the Cumberland River dates to 1859. Originally built by Irish stone masons, the 678-foot-long bridge is normally more than 50 feet above the river. The structure swings to allow taller ships to pass through.
Historic Montgomery County Courthouse
For years, the Montgomery County Courthouse stood as a bleak reminder of Jan. 22, 1999.
The building was nearly leveled at about 4:15 a.m. that day as an F3 tornado tore through town. The twister destroyed more than 160 buildings and damaged more than 500 others, causing $72.6 million in damages. But, instead of giving up on the historic structure, the county decided to rebuild the centerpiece of the community.
The building’s cornerstone was laid on May 16, 1879; George W. Bunting of Indianapolis, Ind., designed the structure.
The building was destroyed or heavily damaged twice – by a March 12, 1900, fire and during the 1999 tornado. The structure was rebuilt both times, but on Jan 22, 2003, government officials rededicated the building as an office building rather than a justice center, opting to build an adjacent building to serve as a courthouse – the county’s seventh judicial center.