Depending on how you see it, Clarksville is celebrating either its centennial or bicentennial this year.

Officially, Clarksville, which straddles the Washington-Greene county line, was incorporated June 6, 1909, when it became a political entity separate from Morgan Township. However, the town's namesake, prominent Washington County politician Samuel Clarke, purchased land between the forks of Ten Mile Creek in 1809, laid out a village and named it Clarksville after himself.

Even earlier, settlers with last names such as Teagarden, Hupp and Bamgarner -- names still found in and around Clarksville -- moved into the area as early as 1765 when southwestern Pennsylvania was part of the American frontier.

Whatever your take on Clarksville's age, the townsfolk have planned a a number of anniversary festivities this weekend. The community has about 250 residents with several small coal mining villages surrounding it, said Sandee Shimo, the borough's secretary.

The anniversary celebration begins with a dinner and dance at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Clarksville Fire Hall on Center Street.

Tickets for the dinner and dance are $20, and patrons may bring their own alcoholic beverages.

For the observance, Clarksville will unveil a new veterans monument inscribed with more than 800 names of residents who served in the military. State Sen. J. Barry Stout, D-Bentleyville, and state Rep. Bill DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, instrumental in securing grants for the monument and surrounding landscaping as well as new sidewalks, will address the audience at the unveiling Saturday.

Vendors will begin selling food and crafts at 9 a.m., followed by a parade at 11 a.m. and the presentation of a commemorative centennial plaque by the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs at noon. Throughout the day, children's games, pony rides, an antique car show, an alpaca display and an exhibit of a centennial quilt and local memorabilia will be held at the senior center, the former Bible Christian Church, thought by many to be the oldest building in Clarksville.

"Women at the senior center made the quilt from patches of material sold for $5 each to anyone who ever lived in the borough," said Ms. Shimo, whose ancestors came to the area in the 1790s. "Purchasers were able to write anything they wanted on the patch, which was then embroidered by the women at the center."

The center of the quilt is red, white and blue, and Clarksville's four churches are represented in patches outside the center square. After the centennial, the quilt will remain on display in the borough building.

Also on Saturday afternoon, the winners of the antique car show will be announced following a local talent competition, and patrons will be able to play bingo starting at 5 p.m. in the volunteer fire department.

The centennial celebration will conclude on Sunday with an ecumenical church service at 9:30 a.m. in the borough square followed by a sausage-and-pancake breakfast at the Bible Christian Church.

A newly published centennial history of Clarksville, written by former Clarksville resident Randi Ross-Marodi, will be for sale for $15 at the information booth in front of the fire department on Saturday.

"The centennial was organized by a handful of people who worked on the project for a year," Ms. Shimo said. "We expect many past residents to come back to town from all over the country during the centennial weekend."

Ida Mary Haftman, who lived nearly all of her 75 years in Clarksville, except for the four years that her husband, John, served in the Air Force, is thought by many to be the town's unofficial historian.

Two important historical events impacted the town, according to Mrs. Haftman: the tornado that came up Ten Mile Creek and leveled the nearby village of Chartiers in June 1944 and the 1969 murder of United Mine Workers President Joseph "Jock" Yablonski along with his wife Margaret and daughter Charlotte in their home by hired hit men.

Clarksville's current mayor, Sam Benyi, sees a brighter future for the town. He believes more people will move into the area because of the proposed mine that is expected to open in 2012 and employ close to 400 people.

"As to centennial, I feel it's a wonderful thing that a group of people got together and planned such a great, event-filled weekend," he said.

For more, call 724-377-0217.