New Providence

New Providence — a neighborhood that resembles a small downtown of its own across the Red River from downtown Clarksville — is rich with history.

But during the 1970s, '80s and '90s, the area was better known for criminal activity. In the late 1990s, a group of citizens approached police, and the tandem formed Operation Take Back. They fought crime through better communication and addressing quality of life issues, like more light poles and fewer abandoned lots.

Clarksville owes much to New Providence, which at one time had more commercial activity than the town across the river. The area also has Fort Defiance, Trice Landing and Sevier Station, all tied to Clarksville's history.

New Providence is home to one of the area's better-known landmarks — Boot Hill. The hill rises from the Red River on Providence Boulevard and is topped by a giant sign shaped like a boot at the Acme Boot Co. store. The store went out of business in 2001, but the boot remains.