 In 1871 this neighboring area came to be known as Clarksville and was legally set apart from the other areas of town specifically for the freed black slaves.It was called Clarksville because Charles (Griffin) Clark, a land developer with an eye to reselling to the newly freed slaves, purchased a tract of land from former slaves where he founded the town of Clarksville, less than one-half mile from Woodlawn.Other important West Austin developments during the 1870s included the establishment of the International and Great Northern Railroad, which defines the historic district's western boundary, and the establishment of Pease Park, which define the district's eastern boundary.