City lots were laid out and the land surveyed by James H. Martineau, county surveyor. Israel J. Clark, first bishop of the community, and the man after whom the settlement was named, assigned the lots and the farming land to the settlers. Ten acres of land were given to each single man and twenty to each married man. Small irrigation streams were made from the Clarkston Creek and other springs. At this time dry farming was not thought of, but early histories report that Brigham Young predicted that someday all the dry land area north, east, and south of Clarkston would be productive and would grow good crops of wheat. (He even prophesied that they would harvest while sitting under a parasol, which caused many to laugh.) A few years later the settlers began experimenting with different types of wheat and ultimately a seed type was found which would mature on the dry land. In time Clarkston became the best dry farming area in the county and one of the best in the entire state. Today dry farm wheat is the major crop in the area. One of the pioneer dry land farmers in Clarkston was Samuel A. Whitney.

Clarkston carries special historical distinction as the burial place of Martin Harris, one of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon. The Latter-day Saint Church has erected a suitable monument at the grave of Martin Harris, and hundreds of people visit the spot each year. Martin lived with his son, Martin Harris, Jr. in Clarkston until he died.