North Austin News

Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) has produced a short documentary titled "Haskell House and the Story of Clarksville." The film premiered at the Boyd Vance Theater at the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural, and Genealogy Center on Saturday, November 16. It is now available for public viewing on PARD’s YouTube channel.

The documentary explores the life of Hezekiah Haskell and his descendants. The historic Hezekiah Haskell House, located at 1703 Waterston Avenue, was built around 1875 by Peter Tucker, a formerly enslaved man, and his wife Betty. Situated in Clarksville, one of the first freedom colonies established west of the Mississippi in Texas after the Civil War, it is recognized as the oldest registered structure in Clarksville. It holds places on both the National Register of Historic Places and as a State of Texas and City of Austin Historic Landmark.

Shortly after building their home, Peter and Betty Tucker sold it to Edwin and Mary Smith. Mary Smith was among the founders of Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church. Initially, church services were held in their home due to financial constraints faced by early residents.

The Smiths later passed their home to their daughter Catherine and her husband Hezekiah Haskell. He fought for the Union during the Civil War as a Buffalo Soldier. Their son Hezekiah Jr., who died in 1976 in this house, led to its donation to the City of Austin by the Haskell family.

Currently managed under an agreement with Austin's Parks and Recreation Department by the Clarksville Community Development Corporation (CCDC), it serves as both a museum about Clarksville's history and a community activity space.

Funding for "Haskell House and the Story of Clarksville" came from Austin’s Historic Preservation Fund initiated by City Council in 2018. This fund supports preserving Austin’s heritage through resources generated from Hotel Occupancy Tax revenues.