About this city
Also known as: First Town of the Northwest Territory
Clarksville is a historically significant and economically vibrant town nestled along the north bank of the Ohio River in Clark County, southern Indiana, directly across from Louisville, Kentucky. Founded in 1783 by Revolutionary War general George Rogers Clark, it stands proudly as the oldest formally authorized American settlement in the Northwest Territory. Clarksville boasts a unique geographic landscape featuring the Falls of the Ohio, a massive world-class exposed Devonian fossil bed. Today, the town seamlessly combines its rich pioneer history and incredible prehistoric geological heritage with expansive, high-energy modern commercial retail developments and scenic riverfront vistas.
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Practical Tourism Metadata
Suggested stay: 1–2 days
Walk across the ancient, massive exposed Devonian fossil beds at the Falls of the Ohio State Park. Photograph the monumental Colgate Clock, one of the largest historic hanging clocks in the world. Enjoy sweeping panoramic views of the Louisville skyline from the paved Ohio River Greenway. Explore expansive shopping and dining corridors along Veterans Parkway.
