Retire to Tennessee

Counties

Roane County:

The picturesque countryside of Roane County offers would-be residents with a potpourri of scenery that exemplifies the smalltown, rural East Tennessee life. And as an added bonus, due to its close proximity to Knoxville, Roane County residents can still enjoy the cultural, social and economic benefits of life in a larger city. Easy access to I-40, just take any exit to boat, fish, swim, or water ski, or simply enjoy the glorious scenic mountain views while hiking, camping, biking, picnicking or just relaxing.

Roane County continues to enjoy a strong economy as new industrial plants continue to move in and make their home there. Located along more than 700 miles of shoreline, Roane County offers what homesteaders look for most…affordable lake living, easy access and a low tax rate.

Roane County Statistics

Average year-round temperature/weather:

Annual Average Temperature: 57 degrees F

Monthly Average High Temperature: January – 41 degrees F July – 87 degrees F

Monthly Average Low Temperature: January – 27 degrees F July – 62 degrees F

Annual Average Snowfall: 8"

Annual Average Rainfall: 49"

Median price of homes: $117, 614

Cost of living: 80.4 (low) U.S. average is 100

Population of city/county and/or median age: 53,430 (2008)

Recreation:

The natural attractions of the area, most residents spend a good deal of leisure time outdoors. Golf, bird watching, fishing, hiking, hunting, boating, picnicking...these are examples of the outdoor activities within easy reach of Roane Countians.

There are many area museums and galleries, two nearby symphony orchestras, a choral group, and a community-wide band. The County also has ballet, theater, and craft centers. For those with a literary bent, the Cities of Harriman, Kingston, Oliver Springs, and Rockwood each have an excellent public library.

Education:

Roane County is served by two school systems--the Roane County School System and the Harriman City School System. Both systems have achieved the Governor's A+ Award for Community Commitment to Excellence in Education for five consecutive years. The A+ award, which was established by the State of Tennessee, recognizes the entire community, as well as the schools, for placing high emphasis on quality education.

Higher Education:

Roane State Community College

Medical Facilities:

Baptist Hospital of Roane County

Roane Medical Center

Home Care and Hospital, Inc.

Airports:

Atomic Airport Inc

Meadowlake Airpark Inc

Rockwood Municipal

Historical Info:

In the late 1700s the settlers choose Roane County for its prime location. The settlers established and constructed Fort Southwest Point on a high bluff overlooking the Clinch and Tennessee Rivers. The fort severed as a stopping point on the Avery Trace, connecting the cities of Knoxville and Nashville.

The city of Kingston was established in 1799 as a result of the growing population around Fort Southwest Point. An Army garrison between 1792 and 1807, the fort was surrounded by several trading posts, and provided a protected environment for the convergence of southeastern trade routes at the mouth of the Clinch River. On September 21, 1807, when Kingston served as the state capital for one day, and the Tennessee House of Representatives convened here. With a growing population, in the mid 1800’s a courthouse was built by slaves using bricks made by hand on site.

After the Civil War, a Union Officer, John Wilder discovered an abundance of iron on Walden Ridge in Roane County. He later returned with Northern industrialists to form the Roane Iron Company in 1868. The population grew, and the city of Rockwood was named after the company’s first president, William O. Rockwood.

Harriman was a utopian community built on social temperance. Former Methodist minister and founder of the East Tennessee Land Company, Frederick Gates, envisioned a town of social temperance and industry where no manufacture storage or sales of intoxicating liqueur or beverages would take place. He advertised his idea across the county, and thousands came to the 1890 Great Land Sale. The sale was a success, and the city of Harriman was formed. The American Temperance University was founded in 1893, moved into the building previously owned by the Land Company.

Situated in the northern corner of Roane County, Oliver Springs was founded in 1830 as Winter’s Gap, so named for its first white settler, Major Moses Winter. Archaeological evidence suggests that Native Americans frequently used the area as a campsite, probably because of its natural mineral springs and abundance of wildlife on Windrock Mountain. The town’s name was later changed to Oliver Springs in honor of Richard Oliver.

Oak Ridge is one of the East Tennessee’s newest cities. It was formed in 1942 when the United States Government constructed two extensive facilities in East Roane to house part of the massive World War II effort known as the Manhattan Project, responsible for building the world’s first atomic bomb. The graphite reactor on the Oak Ridge Reservation is the world’s oldest continuously operated nuclear reactor.