Clarkston, named after William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame), was settled by Robert Bracken in 1862 under the name Jawbone Flats. It changed its name to Concord in 1897 before settling on Clarkston in 1900. The town experienced a population boom that saw numbers increase from approximately 15 in 1896 to over 2,200 in 1903. The boom was partially attributed to the building of an 18-mile-long irrigation canal running from Asotin Creek in 1896.
The opening of the Lewiston-Clarkston Bridge in 1899 was another attributing factor to early community growth. The first Clarkston settlers wanted to re-name the town Lewiston, but the U.S. Postal Department objected on the grounds that Lewiston, Washington would create confusion with neighboring Lewiston, Idaho. Clarkston was officially incorporated in 1902.
Clarkston maintains a variety of attractions including: