In an act of both preservation and generosity, a retired Clarksville firefighter has turned the safeguard of local history into action. This former public servant, whose three-decade tenure with Clarksville Fire Rescue has left a legacy of its own, shifted focus towards the city's railroading past by donating a valuable collection of train memorabilia to the City of Clarksville.
The assortment, exclusively featuring photographic glimpses of Clarksville’s bygone locomotive era, was gifted to Mayor Joe Pitts during a recent visit to City Hall. The fireman's love affair with trains is rooted in his time at Illinois Central Railroad, which, together with L&N and Tennessee Central, formed a historic triad of railroad lines running through Clarksville, as per the City of Clarksville.
Much like the tracks that once intersected the heart of Clarksville, the City and Clarksville Parks and Recreation are laying down new foundations, rehabilitating the historic L&N Train Station on 10th Street.
