The Hezikiah Haskell House, located at 1705 Waterston Avenue, stands as a visible reminder of Clarksville’s historic and cultural roots and of the struggles of the formerly enslaved people who created Clarksville as an oasis of freedom, community and dignity.

The House is a State of Texas and City of Austin Historic Landmark and the oldest registered structure in the Clarksville neighborhood. In addition, it is part of the federal Department of the Interior’s Reconstruction Era National Historic Network, which features sites and programs affiliated with the Reconstruction Era.

In about 1875, Peter Tucker and his wife, Betty, bought land from Clara and Max Maas, two white real estate speculators. The Tuckers paid $100 for the land and built a home there, now known as the Hezikiah Haskell House. 

Tucker had been enslaved by former Texas Governor Elisha Pease and his wife Lucadia, who owned the Woodlawn Plantation. The plantation house still stands at the corner of Niles and Pease Roads and is commonly referred to as the Pease Mansion.

The Tucker's home was located in Clarksville, an early Texas Freedom Colony that was founded by Charles Clark, a formerly enslaved man. Its architecture is typical of the simple homes that residents of the Clarksville community built during its early years.

The Tuckers later sold their home to Edwin and Mary Smith, who raised their family there. Mary was the sister of Charles Clark and one of the founders of the Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church, the religious and social focal point for Clarksville residents.