Clarksville, Maryland

Clarksville is both the name of an unincorporated community and the name associated with Districts 4 & 5 in Howard County, the third wealthiest county in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau.^[1] The community is named for William Clark, a farmer who owned much of the land on which the community now lies.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau, Clarksville District 5 had a population of 56,239, with median income of $150,272. The estimated average income in 2009 was $195,124, with median income of $160,606. Some of the most expensive homes on the East Coast are located in or around the town, whose property values are among the highest in the country.

The village of River Hill is contained within Clarksville, the newest addition to the planned community of Columbia.

Clarksville's public schools, part of the Howard County public school system, are among the highest-ranked in the nation and often have significantly higher funding than competing private and charter schools.

The area is located southwest of Baltimore and north of Washington, D.C., and many residents of Clarksville commute to work in one of these two cities or their close-in suburbs.

Montrose and Richland Farm are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.^[2]

Schooling

Clarksville is perhaps best known for its highly successful high school, River Hill. The school made the 397th rank on Newsweek's Top 1,200 High School [1] River Hill, opened in 1996 It has 1,652 students and ranks as one of the top schools in the state of Maryland. In 2005, River Hill has a 97.55% graduation rate, ranking the highest in Maryland. 86.3% of its students passed the HSA (High school Assessment). River Hill is also very successful in sports, capturing numerous state titles in many sports. The boy’s soccer team has captured three of the last four class 3A state titles (losing in 2006 to rival Mount Hebron). In 2007 River Hill won five state championships in the fall: Football, Boys and Girls Soccer, and Boys and Girls Cross Country. In addition, Clarksville Middle School's Wind Ensemble attended the prestigious Midwest Clinic in 2009, being the first middle school from Maryland to perform there.

Pop culture

Clarksville, MD was referenced in the Fox television show 24 as the target for surface missiles by terrorists in the seventh season episode having the original air date 4/13/09.

References

1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Clarksville (Populated Place)
2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html. 

Coordinates: 39°12′23″N 76°56′35″W / 39.20639°N 76.94306°W / 39.20639; -76.94306