Kingsport, TN... tell me about it.

seedspreader · #1 11/02/06, 04:06 PM

This isn't too serious of any inquiry, but I have a church down there that might be interested in me running their youth program... looking at the satellite, it seems pretty built up there... is there any rural areas still within 10 miles?

Snowdancer · #2 11/02/06, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZealYouthGuy

This isn't too serious of any inquiry, but I have a church down there that might be interested in me running their youth program... looking at the satellite, it seems pretty built up there... is there any rural areas still within 10 miles?

I think Marvella & tnborn both live over in that area.

via media · #3 11/02/06, 04:33 PM

FWIW, DH used to work in Kingsport. It's slowly dying as the manufacturing industry continues to close down/move out. It doesn't have the sprawling 'burbs of a large city and it's an easy drive to Johnson City if you need more advanced medical care, etc. Most of the area around Johnson City, Kingsport and Bristol (the Tri-Cities) is rural, although areas of Bristol and JC are growing very quickly.

It's a beautiful area of the country.

/VM

marvella · #4 11/02/06, 04:38 PM

i'm about 50 miles from there. don't know a whole lot about it. i know the eastman kodak plant is there, which is responsible for some heavy duty pollution in the area. fairly prosperous because of the plant too. i've only been there 3 or 4 times ever. nothing there i can't get here.

there's kind of a divide between us and areas just north of here, but can't really expalin what it is. it's geographic, as the weather systems are very different. we have different insurance companies and coverage, different phone service, stuff like that.

to my knowledge, kingsport isn't considered very rural. the good news is there is some farm land within a reasonable driving distance.

Shygal · #5 11/02/06, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZealYouthGuy

This isn't too serious of any inquiry, but I have a church down there that might be interested in me running their youth program... looking at the satellite, it seems pretty built up there... is there any rural areas still within 10 miles?

Check out the Tennessee part of this forum, theres a lot of information on that area.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/index.php

Also this part of the site has information on just....everywhere. I love this site..lol
http://www.city-data.com/

seedspreader · #6 11/02/06, 08:52 PM

Thanks Shy and Marvella. Anyone else with info would be appreciated.

longrider · #7 11/02/06, 09:37 PM

I moved from Bristol, Va. which is 20 miles north up I-81 this spring. spent two years up there. Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol Tn are known as the Tri-City area. Johnson is more developed with malls, a huge university with a med school and pharmacy, airport and tons of cultural things to do. its about 8 mile at the most away. bristol is older but less developed- mostly housing and strip malls.

Kingsport is the home of the famous Eastman Kodak company and everything there is basically in support of the plant. however eastman laid off 12500 workers over the last 2 years so there are lot of blue collar folks out of work. the engineers typically moved to other locals. So, there are some great house deals up there.

Kingsport has some really good resturants and all the fast food places you could hope for. I recommend Pals drive through- cheap, good, and quick. no artificial stuff. they also have all the businesses you would want. a big mall, lots of strip malls. remember, they catered for years to a very well educated population- so though they live in the hills of appalachia they have everything you would expect in a big city.

the folks who were born there are good country folk. it is very hilly there and one turn of the main road and you will come out 30 mile somewhere else. its very pretty there and has nice weather year round. i would highly advise a four wheel drive car and truck. the ice in the hills is awful in winter.

it is a very churched town and much to do but i would drive down and spend three full days driving through each of the tri-cities. once you are in town you will have plenty of help from the church.

cindyc · #8 11/02/06, 10:32 PM

I was there once - at a funeral. Very curvy roads. That is all I remember. It put me in mind to tell you that if you go there, and you are looking at real-estate adds, the word "rolling" under "terrain" means it is pretty much the side of a mountian. They call them the "Tennessee Hills" for good reason. Really pretty, but not so good for farming.

Good luck to ya' if you decide to look at it more seriously.

dixiedoodle · #9 11/03/06, 06:10 AM

We are 30 miles down the road. Are there once a week or more. Great schools,youth things,people are really friendly.I wouldn,t live any where ,except where I am today!!I lived in North Carolina for a while;I hated every moment of it!Too many people for me.

DonK · #10 11/03/06, 06:17 AM

We lived in Unicoi about 20 years` thats maybe 20ish miles toward the mountains. It was great place to live. Wonderful people, beautiful country.

Pony · #11 11/03/06, 06:28 AM

I just received an answer to a letter I sent to my dear friend who's lived in TN most of her life. (We're looking for information on possible relocation areas.) Here's what she had to say about Eastern TN:

East Tn is very beautiful. You would be able to enjoy the mountains, cooler temps, and the joy of the Smoky Mtns. National Park. If you venture too far from Memphis(west), Nashville(middle), or Chattanooga-Knoxville(east), you may not have all the cultural and medical amenities that you would like. That would mean more drive time. {Think southern IL}.

Looks to me like Kingsport is nearly in KY. Hm.

God bless you with discernment and guidance as you consider the call to the other congregation.

Pony!

4nTN · #12 11/03/06, 09:01 AM

We live close by Kingsport(in Johnson County,TN) and go over there sometimes to a very large indoor flea market...It`s like going to the "Big City" to us..but still small enough and easy to get around from place to place.
I`ve actually been trying to talk my oldest daughter and her dh into moving down to this area.They live in a nyc "burb" now and the cost of living there requires them to both hold down 2 jobs..and they are expecting my 1st granddaughter in jan.You can buy a VERY nice home (sometimes with a little land) for a great price.Only thing there are not to many jobs in the technological fields that daughter and SIL work in.I`ve heard Kingsport has had a lot of growth as of late.

Ramblin Wreck · #13 11/03/06, 01:59 PM

I don't know Kingsport, but Bristol and its environs are great.

Beeman · #14 11/04/06, 08:20 AM

I'm about 30 mi. from Kingsport. For direct info try the Kinsport Times web site http://www.timesnews.net/ . Kingsport as others said is part of the Tri Cities with Bristol and Johnson City which are slowly growing together. Eastman is there and the air has a distinct odor. Business is booming in the area and so are real estate prices. There is no state income tax but they have to get money somehow so sales tax is 9.5% and they tax EVERYTHING including food,clothes and labor. The intersate, I-26, used to end in NC at Asheville but has now been extended to end in Kingsport bringing good and bad with it. I don't think anyone in Kingsport eats at home as the biggest growing businesses are resturants. You might be involved in a church in OH, but religion is a little different here as it's the Bible Belt. You can get bruised from the Bible Beatings around here and it's got a lot to do with everything around here.
Hospitals are good, schools are fair. We are the meth capital and the leader in prescription drugs. Also a hot spot for sinus problems from manufacturing and coal fired power plants polluting the environment.
Ground is generally poor clay with rock but changes drastically in short distances, land is more suitable for pasture than crops. Tobacco used to be king but is slowly disappearing.