How We Got Started
Since 1878, Byers & Harvey has stood as a pillar of excellence in real estate. As a family-owned and operated business, we have maintained our commitment to providing exceptional service to our community for generations. With a proud history spanning over a century, we continue to be a trusted name in the real estate industry.
Our Story
The year 1878 was probably not the most auspicious one in which to enter the insurance business in Clarksville. It was the year of the great fire, which destroyed most of the downtown and wiped out businesses, residences and the county courthouse.
But G.N. Byers was apparently undaunted. A Clarksville native who had served in the Civil War, Mr. Byers chose 1878 as the year to establish the G.N. Byers Insurance Agency, ancestor of the present Byers & Harvey, Inc.
In 1880, Mr. Byers began representing the Insurance Company of North America, the oldest insurance firm in the country. When Mr. Byers died in 1901, he left a sound business to his only son, L. Newton Byers.
Mr. Byers' friendships were warm and loyal. Larry Gerhart, who owned several buildings downtown, always kept his insurance with Mr. Byers, and when Mr. Gerhart died in 1946, his will stipulated that Mr. Byers was to carry the estate's insurance for as long as he lived.
Despite this loyal following, Mr. Byers never expanded his firm and in 1946 he was still situated in a small upstairs office on the corner of Second and Franklin streets where he had been since 1911. He had a staff of one - Dorothy Glass, who is still with the company today. But then in 1946, he joined up with Brown Harvey Sr. Mr Harvey had just returned to Clarksville after working in the North as a real estate appraiser.
Brown Harvey II
Aubrey B. Harvey
Joining Forces
Mr. Harvey's career as an appraiser and statistician started in 1920 with the First National Bank and Southern Trust Company in Clarksville when the horse and buggy was still the normal mode of transport. “It would take me all day Monday to drive to Tobaccoport in Stewart County and all day Friday to drive back,” said Mr. Harvey.
In 1939, he migrated north to Louisville, KY, where he worked for the Federal Land Bank, and then moved on to work for the Tennessee Valley Authority and finally the US. Army Corps of Engineers. After the war, he decided to head back home, where he soon struck a deal with Mr. Byers, who at age 67 was looking for some help.
Mr. Harvey agreed to pay $5,000 for half-interest in the Byers agency and was to receive one-fourth of the established commission income and one-half of new commissions for the first five years. But after a year or so, Mr. Byers decided the arrangement was too complicated and made Mr. Harvey an outright partner, waiving the $5,000 agreement. "It didn't cost me anything." said Mr. Harvey.
Meanwhile, Mr. Harvey had an idea that real estate sales would earn them faster returns, and so he branched out and was soon heavily involved in the sale, leasing, appraisal and financing of real estate. He turned out to be right.
Abner Brown Harvey II, 1917-18
Brown Harvey III
The Age of the Subdivision
Following World War II, Clarksville entered a boom period for real estate. Fort Campbell had been established, but little building had been done because all materials were needed for the war effort. People were living in converted attics and garages, and when the GIs returned home, the demand for new housing became even greater. Helped by the new VA loans, suddenly a lot of people could afford to buy.
Thus dawned the age of the subdivision, and Byers & Harvey got in on the ground floor. Mr. Harvey's older son. Aubrey, joined the real estate part of the firm in 1949, and his younger one, Brown Jr.(also known as Abner Brown Harvey III), joined as an insurance expert in 1951. Together, in partnership with bankers and other business people, they began buying up farmland outside the city limits, which then extended only to Pageant Lane.
They divided up the land, put in streets, water and electric lines, and sold the developed plots to builders. The first was Meadow Circle, which was completed in 1951 with more than 50 lots. "We didn't advertise at all, not a single ‘For Sale' was put up." said Mr. Harvey, "but people just came out there and bought ‘em like gingerbread.”
Other subdivisions followed –- West Fork, Meadowbrook, Fairlane, Belmont, Richview - more than 30 in all. Between 1951 and 1982, the company's agents sold 7,000 parcels of land with a value of more than $150 million. And the insurance part of the business became closely attuned to the real estate part. In addition to tobacco barns, Byers & Harvey insured property, houses and automobiles. Its insurance premiums added up to more than $1 million annually.
G.N. Byers took a big risk when he started his insurance agency in 1878, but his gamble paid off. More than 100 years later, the descendent of his business is growing stronger than ever.
Our Divisions
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Property Management
Our property management team handles maintenance, repairs, bill collection, tenant qualification, inspections, and more. Learn more about our services and why we’re Clarksville’s best property management company!
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Residential Real Estate
Our licensed real estate professionals, several of whom hold dual licenses in Tennessee and Kentucky, can help you find your dream home.
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Vacation/Corporate Rentals
Our guests save an average of 10-15% per stay versus other options on Airbnb or VRBO. Whether you’re on vacation or traveling for work, our fully furnished properties are designed to feel just like home and include utilities!
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HOA
The HOA division manages more than 60 communities across middle TN. Need restrictions, plats, or bylaws? Our team can quickly and easily provide the necessary documents for your client or transaction.
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Commercial Real Estate
Our firm specializes in commercial sales, leasing, and property management. With our extensive network and knowledge, we have all of the necessary resources to make your business successful.
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Find a Rental
Looking for a new place to call home? Our property management portfolio features 2,300+ units: single-family, multi-family, and commercial assets for third-party owners across middle TN and southern KY.
