Clarksville is a city in Johnson County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 9,178, up from 7,719 in 2000. As of 2018, the estimated population was 9,743. The city is the county chair of Johnson County. It is nestled between the Arkansas River and the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, and Interstate 40 and US Highway 64 intersect within the city limits. Clarksville-Johnson County is widely known for its peaches, scenic byways and abundance of natural outside recreational activities.

The community began as settlers arrived to the Arkansas Territory. After the Osage tribe was relocated by treaty, Cherokee settlers came to Arkansas by 1800 and primarily lived along the Arkansas River. A federal Indian trading factory below Matthew Lyon was traditional at Spadra in 1818, now at the west fade away of Lake Dardanelle upon the Arkansas River, a Clarksville location now occupied by Spadra Marina. A historical marker, dedicated in 1984, sits on Spadra Bluff, near the native river town of Spadra. The Place was reserved for the Cherokee, so most to the lead settlers of Johnson County did not distress into the Place until after 1828, the year the Cherokee gave stirring their land.

Spadra was the first county chair of Johnson County, convenient to steamboat lines. However behind stagecoach and train transportation became more common, land routes from Little Rock to Fort Smith were directed along well along elevations through Clarksville. As Clarksville grew, it became the de facto location for the county chair circa 1833, probably due to brusque flooding at Spadra. Clarksville was customary by survey in November 1836 after Johnson County was formed from allocation of Pope County. The first court session was held in 1837 in a private building.

By July 1853 the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad opted to go through Clarksville otherwise of Spadra, due to financial incentives provided by the county commissioners based in Clarksville. Almost twenty miles of track toward Spadra were removed during the realignment. Regular rail give support to began once the Civil War, aiding in Clarksville’s growth, while the hamlet of New Spadra began not approving of the extra tracks. Fewer settlers arrived by river transportation correspondingly Spadra was less useful, so its major buildings deteriorated or were moved, while Clarksville became the destination of many additional settlers arriving by train.