Clarksville, Albany County, New York
Encyclopedia
Clarksville is a hamlet in the town of New Scotland
, Albany County
, New York
. It is situated along Delaware Turnpike (New York State Route 443
) in the southern part of the town at the foot of the Helderberg Escarpment
. It is the site of the Clarksville Cave and has an annual Clarksville Heritage Day and Car Show.
and Rensselaerville
Clarksville became a popular place for travelers to stop. Several inns, taverns, and other businesses were quickly established. Clarksville was originally the site of the Bethlehem
post office
, it being a part of that town until the establishment of the town of New Scotland. The post office and hamlet were later named Clarksville for Adam A. Clark, who came to the area in 1822. In 1853 the Reformed Church of Clarksville was established and a church built, and the Methodist church in 1860-1. In 1854 a plank road
was built from Clarksville north and east to Feura Bush
and Bethlehem Center to connect with the Albany and Bethlehem Turnpike to Albany. Clarksville was once the largest settlement in the town of New Scotland until the convergence of railroads in Voorheesville
in the late 19th century led to a boom in the north part of town.
. Albany County Route 301 leads south to Tarrytown, Route 43 leads east to Unionville and west to the town of Berne
. The Onesquethaw Creek flows east along the south side of Route 443. The Clarksville ZIP Code
(12041) is roughly a triangle with Stove Pipe Road on the west side and Upper Flat Rock Road as the east side. Bennett Hill Road and Plank Road are approximately the southern base of the triangle. Bennett Hill, 400 feet higher than the hamlet, towers over it to the south and west. The top of the hill is a plateau
at an average height of 1120 feet above sea level with the highest point being 1135 feet. The hill is part of a wilderness preserve owned by the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy.
Clarksville Cave has three entrances and 4,800 feet of passages. Owned by the Northeastern Cave Conservancy Inc. and is open to the public, the cave is the most actively used noncommercial cave system in the United States
. First discovered in the 19th century access was unrestricted until 2004 when the conservancy purchased two of the three entrances and began regulating access.
(BCS) and the children attend either Slingerlands or Eagle Elementary Schools for kindergarten through fifth grade; and Bethlehem Central Middle School
and Bethlehem Central High School
for sixth through twelfth.
New Scotland, New York
New Scotland is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 8,648 at the 2010 census.The town is southwest of Albany, New York, the state capital. New Scotland is centrally located in the county.-History:...
, Albany County
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It is situated along Delaware Turnpike (New York State Route 443
New York State Route 443
New York State Route 443 is an east–west state highway in the Capital District of New York in the United States. The route begins at an intersection with NY 30 in the town of Schoharie and ends later at a junction with U.S. Route 9W and US 20 in the city of Albany...
) in the southern part of the town at the foot of the Helderberg Escarpment
Helderberg Escarpment
The Helderberg Escarpment is an escarpment in eastern New York, roughly west of the city of Albany....
. It is the site of the Clarksville Cave and has an annual Clarksville Heritage Day and Car Show.
History
In 1805 the Albany and Delaware Turnpike was constructed through what would later become Clarksville. Since this place was halfway between AlbanyAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
and Rensselaerville
Rensselaerville, New York
Rensselaerville is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 1,843 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Stephen Van Rensselaer...
Clarksville became a popular place for travelers to stop. Several inns, taverns, and other businesses were quickly established. Clarksville was originally the site of the Bethlehem
Bethlehem, New York
Bethlehem is a town in Albany County, New York, USA. The population was 33,656 at the 2010 census. The town is south of Albany. Bethlehem includes the following hamlets: Delmar, Elsmere, Slingerlands, Glenmont, Selkirk, South and North Bethlehem. U.S. Route 9W passes through the town...
post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, it being a part of that town until the establishment of the town of New Scotland. The post office and hamlet were later named Clarksville for Adam A. Clark, who came to the area in 1822. In 1853 the Reformed Church of Clarksville was established and a church built, and the Methodist church in 1860-1. In 1854 a plank road
Plank road
A plank road or puncheon is a dirt path or road covered with a series of planks, similar to the wooden sidewalks one would see in a Western movie. Plank roads were very popular in Ontario, the U.S. Northeast and U.S. Midwest in the first half of the 19th century...
was built from Clarksville north and east to Feura Bush
Feura Bush, New York
Feura Bush is a hamlet in the town of New Scotland, Albany County, New York. It is in the southeast corner of the town, along the Bethlehem town-line, eight miles south of Albany...
and Bethlehem Center to connect with the Albany and Bethlehem Turnpike to Albany. Clarksville was once the largest settlement in the town of New Scotland until the convergence of railroads in Voorheesville
Voorheesville, New York
Voorheesville is a village within the town of New Scotland in Albany County, New York, United States. It is a suburb of Albany and part of the city's historic metropolitan area. The population was 2,789 at the 2010 census. The village is named after a railroad attorney, Alonzo B...
in the late 19th century led to a boom in the north part of town.
Geography
Clarksville is situated in the southern portion of the town of New Scotland, along Delaware Turnpike (New York State Route 443) east of and at the foot of the Helderberg EscarpmentHelderberg Escarpment
The Helderberg Escarpment is an escarpment in eastern New York, roughly west of the city of Albany....
. Albany County Route 301 leads south to Tarrytown, Route 43 leads east to Unionville and west to the town of Berne
Berne, New York
Berne is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 2,794 at the 2010 census. The town is at the west border of Albany County.- History :...
. The Onesquethaw Creek flows east along the south side of Route 443. The Clarksville ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
(12041) is roughly a triangle with Stove Pipe Road on the west side and Upper Flat Rock Road as the east side. Bennett Hill Road and Plank Road are approximately the southern base of the triangle. Bennett Hill, 400 feet higher than the hamlet, towers over it to the south and west. The top of the hill is a plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
at an average height of 1120 feet above sea level with the highest point being 1135 feet. The hill is part of a wilderness preserve owned by the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy.
Clarksville Cave has three entrances and 4,800 feet of passages. Owned by the Northeastern Cave Conservancy Inc. and is open to the public, the cave is the most actively used noncommercial cave system in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. First discovered in the 19th century access was unrestricted until 2004 when the conservancy purchased two of the three entrances and began regulating access.
Location
Culture
Clarksville celebrates annually the Clarksville Heritage Day and Car Show every August, sponsored by the Clarksville Historical Society.Education
Clarksville is a part of the Bethlehem Central School DistrictBethlehem Central School District
The Bethlehem Central School District is a public school district in New York State, serving approximately 5100 students just south of Albany in the towns of Bethlehem and New Scotland in Albany County with a staff of 400 and a budget of $72 million....
(BCS) and the children attend either Slingerlands or Eagle Elementary Schools for kindergarten through fifth grade; and Bethlehem Central Middle School
Bethlehem Central Middle School
Bethlehem Central Middle School is a school in the Bethlehem Central School District. The town that this school is located in is Bethlehem, New York. The school holds 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. It was formerly the district's high school from 1932 to 1952...
and Bethlehem Central High School
Bethlehem Central High School
Bethlehem Central High School is a high school in Delmar, New York, just south of Albany. Located at 700 Delaware Avenue, the school serves students in grades 9-12 from the towns of Bethlehem and New Scotland. The school was ranked 1048 on Newsweek's 2010 " Top US High Schools."The high school was...
for sixth through twelfth.
Historic structures
- Clarksville Elementary SchoolClarksville Elementary School (Clarksville, New York)The Clarksville Elementary School in Clarksville, New York, also known as Clarksville Grade School, is a Modern Movement-style building built in 1949.It was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2008.The design by Henry L. Blatner...
is listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...