Anyone Familiar With Tazewell, TN Area?

[Nomad]

I've been searching for a few acres to finally homestead, and I think I may have located something. I was wondering if anyone lives anywhere near that area and could tell me a bit about it? Thanks.


Nomad

[preecher97]

I grew up in East Tennessee about 50 miles west of Tazewell. My parents still live there and we go back as much as possible. I would move back in a heartbeat but we must stay wher God has planted us for the time being. It is a beautiful place to live. The taxes aren't bad, just a property tax, no income tax, no wheel or personal property tax. The schools are decent. You will not be far from Knoxville which as everything you need and lots of smaller country towns that have great little shops and personal service. East Tennesseeans are a bit untrusting at first but will warm to you if you just give them time. If you love the green mountains and beautiful rolling hills then this is the place for you.

The only drawback is the humidity in the summer. It gets almost unbearable sometimes. Temps of 90-95 and humidity of 80-90% most days in July-Aug

Good Luck to you and may God bless you.

[Beeman]

I'm SE of Tazewell, what do you want to know? Good dirt track if you like racing, decent flea market and a good ice cream shop. They are still working on rt. 25E but that is a major truck route and will really get busy when they are through. Furniture plants are most likely the major industry as Lazy Boy is there.

[Windy in Kansas]

Are you sure you wouldn't rather be in New Tazewell? Just kidding since there are both.

My dad was born a few miles from there at Sharps Chapel. He came to KS to live with an aunt and uncle in 1910 after his parents had both died.

I've visited the area and it is pretty for certain. I agree about the high humidity. Have always visited in the summer or end of summer and there is always dew on the grass of a morning no matter how warm it was overnight.

Museum of Appalachia at Norris, not far away. Nathaniel Peters cabin there was an ancestor so I'm a fan.

[Nomad]

Thanks for the information. I mainly wanted to know what it is like to live in that area and Preecher summed it up pretty well. So Lazy Boy is there? Well, there'll be one more when I arrive...and I'm not talking about my recliner. Not concerned about the humidity. I think it's fairly high many places, not too great here either. I'll just sit in my rocker with a sweet tea and let my girls do the work. LOL We love trees and hills, so I know we'll like it there.



Nomad

[BeeDaisyRabbit]

I grew up in Knoxville, so my perspective is from someone who lived in a larger town than Tazewell. Claiborne county is rural and is about 1 hour from Knoxville, further from Kingston. It is in the lovely Tennessee Valley and would be great for a homesteader as land prices are cheap.

Caveat: as with any rural area, many are bucolic, while some areas rather rough. Please visit the property with a critical eye. Good country folk abound, but it's always that 10% that could make you hate the area and move back to your hometown.

Our families have been in east Tennessee for many generations. However, we bought a farm that had a small house near it that was being rented; it was the original tenet house to our home. It was then that we found about how that other 10% behave. Thank God that it went up for auction and we were able to purchase it.

Best wishes for your search and if something bugs you while your looking at a place, just walk away. It will drive you to distraction after a few months.

[English Oliver]

Try looking in Tazwell Indiana, beautiful country without a lot of government interference and land is real reasonable.

"O"

[edit] And Best Chairs the owners of Lazy Boy is just down the road from there.

[Nomad]

One of the other reasons I have narrowed my search to the Tazewell area is I have found a seller who finances with little or no money down. I was never able to find anyone in the part of Ohio I wanted that would sell for less than 10% down and many wanted 20%. Since land here seems to cost more than in MO or TN, I just can't come up with enough down. So we relocate. Another thing is our interest in the Civil War. There was a battle in Tazewell in 1862 which I hope to study and learn about first hand.


Nomad

[4nTN]

We enjoy going for rides to the area your talkng about,stopping sometimes in Saltville,VA (there`s a cool museum there) and also visiting Hungry Mother State Park.
Hubby and I have both lived a lot of places in this world,but we have found our home here in NE Tn and we will never live any where else.

Sharon

[menollyrj]

I live about 20 minutes from Tazewell and work at the high school in New Tazewell. I am a transplant to the area, although my husband was born & raised here.

The cost of living is much lower here than in other areas of the country. That said, the job market isn't that great either unless you are either in the medical field, education, or willing to make the 1+ hour drive to Knoxville. I have found the area to be somewhat clannish, meaning that it takes a long time for transplants like me to be accepted. Everyone is related to everyone else as not many folks leave and those that do usually come back. It is typical small-town America. As in most areas, some of the schools are better than others, but on the whole, they are fairly good.

Definitely be careful when purchasing property as there are a large number of underground caves in the area, and sinkholes are pretty commonplace. Much of the acreage in this area is straight up. For example, our property is 12 acres, but only about two of the acres are flat; the rest are uphill, some steeper than others.

It is hot & humid in the summer with temps in the high 90's, and can be below zero in the winter, although rare. It usually hovers around 10 degrees for a week to ten days, and that is the worst of it. Not a lot of snow (although in years past, according to DH, there have been doosies). I like the weather here because we get four distinct seasons.

It is a great area for homesteading because many of the folks here still garden, can, and have livestock. I'm not weird because we eat our own beef, and I can still sell roosters to folks who want to make their own chicken & dumplings. Depending upon your property, you can be in town, in a subdivision, in a rural community, or completely isolated.

Recreationally, there are a lot of outdoor activities. Cumberland Gap National Park is close by, with lots of hiking trails. The Daniel Boone Trail runs through the area, and there are several state parks along the Trail. If you like the arts, Knoxville is the closest city, with Asheville, NC about 2 1/2 hours away, and Nashville about 4 1/2 hours. There are also several colleges - Lincoln Memorial in Harrogate and of course University of TN in Knoxville.

I'd be happy to find out more information for you if you need specifics. PM me.

ETA: They have several Civil War events here yearly. The Battle of Tazewell is one; they also have at least one a year at LMU/Cumberland Gap. They also have several late 1700's reenactments at Wilderness Road State Park (in VA, just up the road from Cumberland Gap) & at the National Park.

-Joy

[Nomad]

I'm working pretty closely with the seller. They have steered me away from two parcels already because they knew they wouldn't work for me. I wrote a fairly long letter explaining exactly what we're looking for and the seller is trying to find just the right property. I don't mind straight up as long as there is enough flat for a house, small barn and corral and a decent size garden, maybe a chicken coop. Guess I'll see how it turns out. We keep pretty much to ourselves, so it won't matter too much about being accepted. Though we are pretty friendly and get along with almost everyone. I'm sure by the time the wife and I pass on our girls will have been there long enough to get on with people. So far almost everything I hear about the area is positive, so maybe I made a good choice. I'll be sure to ask about caves and sinkholes before I buy. I've only been in one cave and that was in France to see some ancient drawings on the walls. I didn't go in far and came out pretty quickly. Don't much care for caves. Thanks to everyone for the helpful information.


Nomad

[Beeman]

Originally Posted by Nomad

One of the other reasons I have narrowed my search to the Tazewell area is I have found a seller who finances with little or no money down. I was never able to find anyone in the part of Ohio I wanted that would sell for less than 10% down and many wanted 20%. Since land here seems to cost more than in MO or TN, I just can't come up with enough down. So we relocate. Another thing is our interest in the Civil War. There was a battle in Tazewell in 1862 which I hope to study and learn about first hand.


Nomad

This should make you say hmmmm.... Beware as this might be the bible belt but you'll be dealing with the money changers. Do a lot more research then just asking on the internet and believing the seller.

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by Beeman

This should make you say hmmmm.... Beware as this might be the bible belt but you'll be dealing with the money changers. Do a lot more research then just asking on the internet and believing the seller.

I'm sorry, what part of the quote you had in your post am I supposed to be concerned about? I read and reread it and can't see anything that makes me wonder. As for research, I wouldn't sign anything without a good personal look around.

Thanks,

Nomad