The Hezikiah Haskell House is the oldest registered structure in the Clarksville community, one of the earliest freedom colonies in Texas. In 2023, Austin Parks Foundation granted Kurt Schmidt and the Clarksville Community Garden Leadership Team $26,900 for garden improvements, the creation of a heritage garden and interpretive signage at the property. With this grant, the Clarksville Community Garden Leadership Team brought back plants, herbs and vegetables that Hezikiah Haskell himself likely would have grown while living there in the 1800s.
This historic house was built around 1875 by Peter Tucker, a formerly enslaved man, and was soon sold to Edwin and Mary Smith. Mary Smith was a founder of the historic Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church, which initially met in the Haskell House until purchasing land in Clarksville in 1882 where the church still meets today.
For extra income, the Smiths hosted boarders at the house. One such boarder, Hezikiah Haskell, a formerly enslaved man and Union and Buffalo soldier, eventually married their daughter, Catherine, and the Smiths deeded their house to the newlyweds. Hezikiah and Catherine’s son, Hezikiah “Kye” Haskell Jr., lived in the house until shortly before his death in 1976, at the age of 79. It was then deeded to the City of Austin by the Haskell family.
This May, Austin Parks Foundation partnered with the Clarksville Community Garden Leadership Team and the Clarksville Community Development Corporation to mark the completion of the heritage garden with a community meal and celebration. Descendants of the Haskell family, past and longtime Clarksville residents and project partners gathered around plates of black eyed peas, roast suckling pig, watermelon and okra to celebrate the garden, house and community to mark this new exciting addition to further bring to life the history of Clarskvillle.
By growing the same kinds of nourishing vegetables that early Clarksville families likely raised, the heritage garden will illustrate what early days in Clarksville were like and provide visitors an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the history by fostering a connection between the grounds and the museum located within the house. The Haskell House, like the entire Clarksville community, is a symbol of resilience and community, having stood the test of time, trials and hardships.You can learn more about the history of the house and Clarksville in this Parks and Recreation Department documentary.