Clarksville's Conservation Club

The Montgomery County Conservation Club is an organization I've been familiar with since I was a teenager. My father, Tim Cash, bought his first boat in my teen years and became a member of this boating club to be part of a local boating community. Obviously, as a child, I was not as active in this but all the same, I became familiar with the natural area and the large boat dock. With a boat slip-- a parking space off of the dock for a boat, allowing it to be surrounded on three sides-- we were quite frequently at the Conservation Club. My parents formed friendships with the sociable people who also frequented the club with interests in boating, and I was able to engage in several adventures. Some of them were large group plans formed by those who were part of the club. I have amazing memories of visiting a sandbar with a volleyball net set up, scavenging for shells under the gritty platform of sand that allowed us to stand only knee-deep in the middle of the river. Another time, we went through Lock-B and traveled up towards Nashville to dock at a seafood restaurant. 

With a membership of $60 a year with discounts for seniors-- or a lifetime membership for $600-- the Conservation Club is a rather affordable area to be able to unload your boat and become part of a community. Slips and storage units are an additional cost, but the prices are relatively reasonable especially given the friendly atmosphere of the riverside club located on the Cumberland.

There are other boating clubs to explore in the Clarksville area, but my positive experiences-- even as a teen and young adult-- with the Conservation Club call for my recommendation there. With countless catfish dinners and trips out to cruise on the river, if you happen to have a boat or are looking into getting one, the Montgomery County Conservation Club at 1182 7 Mile Ferry Road should be a place you check out.

Game Shop on Riverside: Sanctuary Gaming

Clarksville may feel small to some of us who have lived our full lives here, but the truth of the matter is that Clarksville is a pretty big city. And a big city has room for more than one game shop. Sanctuary Gaming is a newer shop for things such as Pokemon cards and board games, established only last year in 2020. My boyfriend and I made our way over on a quest for Digimon cards and while we didn't find that, we are pretty sure we've found a place we want to visit again for a game night.

Like most game stores of this caliber, Sanctuary Gaming has an impressive selection of board games ranging from more notable titles like Catan to more obscure selections. While they do have copies of these games for sale to the customer, the main perk of shops like this is being able to rent the games for a small fee to play in-store. While in the shop, I spotted a sign that even mentioned being able to take rentals home for a night for an additional fee for people who might not want to hang around. However, the atmosphere of Sanctuary Gaming is amazingly friendly. When I arrived, they were hosting a day camp for children to help them learn how to play the Pokemon card game, and the staff was extremely friendly to us while still monitoring the excited kids. 

Sanctuary Gaming offers packs of cards from games such as Pokemon and Magic the Gathering, and single cards for purchase. We also spotted a good few things from dice to miniatures to Funko Pops-- not to mention crocheted items such as Eevee-lutions and other Pokemon! It also seems like Sanctuary Games is set up to allow for computer or consul gaming in their location. I personally thought the coolest part of this particular game shop was the row of arcade machines they had set up. It's definitely a place I'd be happy to spend time.

You can check out Sanctuary Gaming's website here, but I would suggest stopping in and visiting them yourself at 101 N Riverside Dr. Go on Saturday if you feel up to the special treat of Vendor Saturday that supports small local businesses
! 

Take Time to Explore Downtown Clarksville!

 With the weather warming up, it has become the perfect time of year to explore the downtown area of Clarksville! Along with wonderful local restaurants such as Blackhorse and Kimo's, there are several locally-owned shops and Clarksville's beloved theatre, the Roxy. In time, I look forward to covering all of these spaces in detail as businesses become more open throughout the weeks.

Another great piece of Downtown Clarksville is the extensive collection of statues. With the coronavirus taking up the majority of 2020, even I wasn't aware of the new statue being dedicated in downtown Clarksville in celebration of 100 years of women's right to vote. Unveiled on August 15th, 2020, the "Tennessee Triumph" suffrage statue stands proudly at Public Square. She is reported to be Clarksville's 27th piece of public art, and one of many statues smattered across the downtown area. Other statues include Frank Sutton as Sargent Carter, Lenora 'Nora' Witzel, and "The Day After" which shows a man reading a newspaper to signify the work of the Leaf Chronicle to publish the day after a tornado tore apart the downtown area.

If you have time this summer, head downtown to explore a historic area of Clarksville! Between murals, statues, and beautiful architecture, you'll find yourself with a lot to take in.

A Magical Coffee Experience at Ravenwood!

 I feel my age shows in how many coffee shops in Clarksville that I absolutely adore. A twenty-something is always in need of coffee, and Clarksville has provided some excellent experiences to find a good frappachino (as well as some less milkshake-esque coffee for those who actually enjoy how coffee tastes). While Ravenwood isn't as close to the Austin Peay campus as it once was, it is thankfully still open and in range of anyone seeking something a little more special than a Starbucks drink.

Ravenwood coffee can be considered a magical experience as their little shop brings in elements of fantastical media such as Harry Potter. Their Butterbeer drink, one of many alternatives to coffee they offer, is Universal Studios quality-- maybe even better. With an upbeat staff and cozy space, this little coffee shop is a great spot to go by with friends if you're on Fort Campbell Blvd! You can find it specifically at 2609 Fort Campbell Blvd Suite B.

Looking at Historical Homes

 Historical homes are a dime in a dozen in the modern age. Wear and tear of time have taken many beautiful houses over the course of years, while others were neglected to a point of no return. There are many, though, that remain to stand out among others with unique flare and architecture. Most people don’t like to bother with the maintenance that comes with an old structure, but many can appreciate the beauty that comes with antiquity. Some, however, can picture themselves owning a beautiful historical house.

While there are currently none available in Clarksville, our city does hold many gorgeous historical homes in the downtown area. I have admired them through the years as they’ve stood through time, presenting themselves as ele
gant fixtures in a modern time with their no longer usual designs and occasional bright colors—one such, my favorite, is an amazing shade of lavender. Though there are none currently available in Clarksville, some of the surrounding towns can boast of absolutely gorgeous historical homes for sale.

Recently, Pam Cash of Crye-Lieke Realtors was able to show off this amazing home Erin, Tennessee. Two stories were decked out in antique furnishings in what was meant to eventually become an Air BNB. However, the unfortunate circumstances that came with Covid have put it back on the market for potential buyers with a taste for the classics. With a fireplace in every room, this home certainly warmed me up to the idea of historical house living. The structure was immaculate with fine detailing and unique wallpapering that I personally adored. Along with a lovely front stairway there was also the butler’s staircase in the back which led up to the butler’s quarters—yes, this home was built to house a butler. How amazing is that?

While some appliances were out of date, this house didn’t make a creak as we strolled through to admire all of the lovely rooms. Despite being so old, no one can argue it was incredibly sturdy. With the addition of a front balcony, a quail house, and an old smoker house, I can only imagine the possibilities adventurous buyers could have with this beautiful Erin home.

Historical homes come with risks, like any home can, and they can require far more maintenance. But well cared for and loved, these time capsules can become the pride of a community. While I couldn’t recommend everyone to go out to buy one, I encourage those with a love for antiquity to at least venture out to view some! If you are in Clarksville? Summer is coming soon—consider taking a walk through the downtown area to admire some of the beautiful old homes right here in our city!

Best Place to Live in America!

 If you didn't know this already, Clarksville was voted the best place to live in America in 2019. To residents of the community, this is probably not a huge surprise. Clarksville, Tennessee, is a beautiful suburban city with a diverse range of things to do. That isn't including the short travel time to Nashville, opening up a range of job opportunities, and allowing for great weekend trips to the Music City. Having lived in Clarkville for the entirety of twenty-four years of life, I feel I can definitely speak for it being a lovely place to live and it's only getting better with the recent implementations of things such as The City Forum as well as the Commons that allow people in the community to gather together in a large environment. There are also so many beautiful natural spots to explore-- such as Dunbar Cave or the Greenway. 

Of course, one of the biggest points that was made in the article explaining why Clarksville was the best city to live in was the affordability of living. Perri Blumberg in his article of Southern Living mentioned how Clarksville held homes "nearly $100,000 below the U.S. median home price" -- certainly a large difference! You can read more of Blumberg's article here!

Our community is large and growing with the exciting fluctuations of college students and military families bringing more life to our quaint city. If you live in Clarksville, you should share one of your favorite parts of our community in the comments! And if you don't? You may want to consider calling up the Cash Team of Crye-Lieke Relators to start looking for a beautiful home in this beautiful city!