One of them is L&N Train Station, which had fallen into disrepair and was scheduled to be demolished until it was restored for Tennessee's Bicentennial in 1996. Now it has a red locomotive sitting on the tracks outside, and it is open to the public three days a week.

"It's one of the few historic buildings that's still in existence in Montgomery County," says Randy Rubel, one of the members of the Montgomery County Historical Society who volunteers his time to keep the station open.

"Many people will tell you they left this station going to Korea or World War II. We need our historic symbols. If we tear them down, what are we going to have? This is a part of out history that's still here. Why destroy it?"

Many other historic sites are open to visitors in and around Clarksville:

Bell Witch Cave

Bell Witch Cave shows up in any list of haunted places in America. Although the story begins in the early 1800s with the reported haunting of John Bell and his family near the cave in Adams, many people believe it continues today. Legend has it that Gen. Andrew Jackson had a run-in with the witch.

In 2005, the Bell Witch was the subject of "An American Haunting," a feature film starring Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek. The cave is in Adams, about 25 miles east of Clarksville on state Highway 76. Tours are available June through Labor Day. The cave is closed during the winter months.

For information or to schedule a tour, call (615) 696-3055. Go to www.bellwitchcave.com.

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Emerald Hill Mansion

Emerald Hill Mansion began as a farmhouse in the 1820s. It had two major renovations in 1900 and 1909. The home, at 751 N. Second St., contains many of the original furnishings. Currently, it is the home for the Pace Alumni Center-Alumni Relations and Development Office at Austin Peay State University. Call 221-7979.

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Fort Defiance

Fort Defiance, on a bluff overlooking the confluence of the Cumberland and Red rivers, is one of the best- preserved examples of Civil War earthen forts anywhere. The four-acre site, a city park, includes a walking trail with informational signs and picnic areas.

Last year, the city received money to further preserve Fort Defiance. Plans for improvements are in the works. The Friends of Fort Defiance group meets the second Tuesday of every month at Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library. For information about Fort Defiance Park at 120 A St. in New Providence, call Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department, 645-7476.

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Fort Donelson

Fort Donelson is the site where Confederate Gen. Simon B. Buckner surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant. The national battlefield includes Fort Donelson National Cemetery (established 1867), the final resting place for Union soldiers killed at Fort Donelson and other American veterans representing seven wars; a visitor center; the Dover Hotel (Surrender House); and earthen rifle pits and river batteries.

The visitor center is open daily 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The battlefield is off U.S. Highway 79 in Dover, about 30 miles west of Clarksville. Call (931) 232-5348.

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Historic Collinsville

Historic Collinsville is an 1870s restored pioneer settlement 10 miles south of Clarksville in Montgomery County. Vintage 1800s-style buildings are complete with period furnishings, textiles and artifacts essential to daily living. Group tours are available. The annual fall festival attracts huge crowds. Call 648-9141 for information.

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The Homeplace

The Homeplace is a living history farm at Land Between the Lakes where visitors can get a glimpse of what farm life was like in the region during the mid-19th century. Write to 100 Van Morgan Drive, Golden Pond, KY 42231, or call (800) 525-7077, or go to www.lbl.org.

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L&N Railroad Station

L&N Railroad Station has been proclaimed as the station about which the Monkees 1966 hit, "The Last Train to Clarksville" was written. The last passenger ticket was sold at the station in 1968. After years of neglect, the train station at the corner of 10th and Commerce streets was brought to life for Tennessee's Bicentennial in 1996. It is home to the Montgomery County Historical Society, www.mchsociety.org. Volunteers from the Historical Society keep the station open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and many historical pictures, books, post cards and replicas are for sale. The station frequently hosts art shows by local artists.

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Montgomery County Courthouse

Montgomery County Courthouse is a hard-won historic treasure. Preservationists fought to restore the shell of the courthouse after it was nearly destroyed by a tornado in 1999. A new courthouse was built inside the red brick structure at 1 Millennium Plaza in downtown Clarksville.

Also inside the courthouse are photographs illustrating the history of Montgomery County and hundreds of photographs of Montgomery County war veterans, called Faces of Valor. The courthouse is open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays. Call 648-5787.

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Smith-Trahern Mansion

Smith-Trahern Mansion, was built overlooking the Cumberland River by wealthy tobacconist Christopher Smith in 1858. The mansion reflects the transition between the Greek revival and Italianate styles that were popular at the time. The home boasts grand hallways, an exquisite curved staircase and a widow's walk on the roof. In 1988, the mansion, at First and McClure streets, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Smith-Trahern is available to host weddings and private occasions through the Montgomery County Extension Homemakers Club.

Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays. Evenings and weekends are available by appointment. Admission is $2. Call 648-9998.