Athens, Cleveland, Maryville, Knoxville, Chattanooga
Should the need or desire for city amenities ever arise; major metropolitan areas of Chattanooga and Knoxville can be reached from the mountain and river communities in a little over an hour. Each of these cities offer energized cultural scenes seasoned with a dash of Southern hospitality and flare.
Knoxville is the home of UT and if you are new to the area, please remember that the Volunteers are big (really big) here making the city and the team the focal point for football fans around the State. Other notable landmarks in the city include Market Square for eclectic shopping and dining experiences, the Knoxville Zoo for family fun, the McLung Museum of Natural History and the financial district on Gay Streetwhere several buildings have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Once an aging and gritty industrial city, Chattanooga has made a come back with a sparkling river front that has the Tennessee Aquarium, the Creative Discovery Museum and a six-story high IMAX 3D theater at its heart. Chattanooga's art district is perched on bluffs above the Tennessee River and provides visitors the chance to explore the Hunter Museum and the Houston Museum along with breathtaking views! Among the notable places to see in the city are Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls, Rock City, the Walnut Street Walking Bridge, the city-scape from a river boat cruise and Songbirds Guitar Museum.
Located just north of Chattanooga, south of the rugged mountain areas in Polk and Monroe Counties, people from all walks of life are lured by Cleveland's unique combination of outdoor activities and metropolitan amenities. From cowpea festivals and farms to canopy zip lines and country clubs, Cleveland is a city that will quench your thirst for culture and adventure! With so much business and fun going on here city; it is no wonder Cleveland's upscale housing market is booming!
Smaller cities and larger towns can be reached in under an hour from the river and mountain communities. Loudon County is located approximately 25 miles southwest of Knoxville off of Interstate 75. Its population is between 5,000 and 6,000. With several lakes and rivers in the county including Fort Loudoun, Tellico, Watts Bar and Melton Hill Lakes plus the Tennessee and Clinch Rivers; Loudoun County is often referred to as the "Lakeway" to the Smoky Mountains.
For thousands of years, Native Americans hunted and camped along the banks of these rivers making this county rich in history. Today, Greenback, Lenoir City (which has a vibrant commercial base coupled with a charming historic downtown district) and Philadelphia (one of the oldest towns in the Tennessee) make up this area. Perhaps it is the county's proximity to Knoxville that creates its unique combination of urban sophistication and country charm. If you are interested in a home near a local yacht club or country club; this just might be the place you are looking for.
Athens, widely known as "The Friendly City", is a compact but bustling town offering most of the goods and services available in larger metropolitan areas. It is a place that is also steeped in history. Prominent early settlers included Jesse Mayfield, a man whose descendants founded Mayfield Dairy Farms, a business that still thrives in Athens today. Railroads were big business in Athens as they were in Etowah. Here, it was the Hiwassee Railroad, that provided a connection from Knoxville to Dalton, Georgia.
Some of the more infamous aspects of Athens history include the city's connection to the forced removal of the Cherokee in the Trail of Tears and the Battle of Athens - an event that began in 1946 when several World War II veterans decided to oust a corrupt County government. The vets intended to unseat their competition in a fair election but when local authorities locked themselves in the county jail along with the ballot boxes, the vets had enough. They broke into the local armory, stockpiled the weapons in their vehicles and then assembled across the street from the politicians held up in the jail. County authorities eventually surrendered amidst a hail of gunfire and the veterans were elected thereby ending the Battle of Athens.
Like other urban and suburban communities across the Country, East Tennessee's more populated regions offer a greater number of housing options including condominiums, town houses, apartment rentals, single family homes and gated communities. Prices; like the options, are diverse.
