CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – If you’ve been downtown over the past few weeks, you may have noticed something new on the front of some of the buildings. It’s part of the Clarksville Then and Now project.

Plaques have been placed on many of the buildings with an old photo of the building on each plaque. On Friday, a ribbon was cut to officially welcome the project by local officials and members of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Arts and Heritage Development Council.

The ribbon cutting for the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 30, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
Photographer David Smith at the ribbon cutting for the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 30, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
Dr. Ellen Kanervo at the ribbon cutting for the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 30, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
The ribbon cutting for the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 30, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts at the ribbon cutting for the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 30, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden at the ribbon cutting for the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 30, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
The ribbon cutting for the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 30, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
The ribbon cutting for the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 30, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
One of the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 16, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
One of the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 16, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
One of the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 16, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
One of the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 16, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
One of the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 16, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
One of the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 16, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
One of the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 16, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
One of the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 16, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
One of the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 16, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
One of the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 16, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
One of the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 16, 2022, (Lee Erwin).
One of the Clarksville Then and Now plaques on downtown buildings with old photos of downtown buildings on Sep. 16, 2022, (Lee Erwin).

Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts along with Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden joined Arts and Heritage members at the corner of Franklin Street and First Street to christen Clarksville Then and Now.

“It’s a project to show people that come to Clarksville or live in Clarksville the history of the city,” said David Smith, a professional photographer with the Arts and Heritage Development Council. “The old photos on the plaques on the buildings show what the buildings used to look like, what businesses were in there, people who live here can bring out the stories of what they used to do in those buildings.”

Smith said there are now 40 plaques on downtown buildings, with 38 of them on Franklin, and they are planning to expand to more buildings and more plaques. Smith added the QR codes are live so if you scan the QR code, you will find out some of the history of the building.