[5][6] Many of it residents enjoy the local wildlife which includes mule deer,[7] sharp-tailed grouse,[8] and pheasant.

[10] It was named for Israel Justus Clark, who was an early settler and the first branch president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Clarkston.

Due to water quality concerns and sickness, they moved the town to a higher elevation and closer to City Creek and other springs.

[12] A Latter-day Saint ward was organized in Clarkston in the fall of 1867 with William F. Rigby as bishop.

[13] Among the first settlers were Israel J. Clark, James Myler, William Ricks, Michael Poulsen, Johannis Dahle, Gideon Harmison, David Cook, John Griffiths, John Griffin, John Godfrey, Samuel Whitney, Ole S. Jensen and their families; also the Thompson and Hansen families, A. W. Heggie, a Mr. Parker, Paul Paulson, Andrew McCombs, Simon Smith, Isaac Cook, A. H. Atkinson, and others.

[14] The existence of the Clarkston settlement was threatened in 1869 when a majority of the settlers, due mainly to discouragement because of the severe winters and heavy drifting snow, decided to move to the present site of Newton, Utah.

There was a controversy over retaining the name Clarkston for the original settlement or transferring it to the "New Town.

"[15] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1 square mile (2.6 km2), all land.