Info on Cookeville and Center Hill Lake (sales, houses)
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Can anyone out there give me some info on the Cookeville area - also Center Hill Lake? My husband, 11 yr old daughter and I now live in NC but want to move to an area with:
good schools
water nearby (for fishing & rec.)
restaurants & shopping (doesn't have to be major)
YMCA or city recreation opportunities
We are self employed - video production field. Also are the waters there controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers? Just curious. Any info is much appreciated.
Can anyone out there give me some info on the Cookeville area - also Center Hill Lake? My husband, 11 yr old daughter and I now live in NC but want to move to an area with:
good schools
water nearby (for fishing & rec.)
restaurants & shopping (doesn't have to be major)
YMCA or city recreation opportunities
We are self employed - video production field. Also are the waters there controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers? Just curious. Any info is much appreciated.
Jengal,
I sent you a private message containing links to information on Cookeville.
Can anyone out there give me some info on the Cookeville area - also Center Hill Lake? My husband, 11 yr old daughter and I now live in NC but want to move to an area with:
good schools
water nearby (for fishing & rec.)
restaurants & shopping (doesn't have to be major)
YMCA or city recreation opportunities
We are self employed - video production field. Also are the waters there controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers? Just curious. Any info is much appreciated.
The schools in Putnam County are excellent, easily among the best in the state. Cookeville HS is one of only 5 high schools in the state with the International Baccalaureate program. Be warned, however, that most of Center Hill Lake is NOT in Putnam County, so if you want to live close to the lake, you'll probably have to send your kids to DeKalb County schools.
The Corps of Engineers does indeed control the waterfront of Center Hill Lake which means that there are no private homes directly on the shoreline. There are several nice ones, however, within spitting distance of the shoreline.
There is a very nice, large, very modern YMCA in Cookeville. It's part of the YMCA of Middle Tennessee (Nashville).
For shopping, Cookeville has just about everything: two Wal-Mart SuperCenters, Sam's Club, KMart, Kohl's, JCPenney, Peebles, Belk, Sears, Old Navy, TJMaxx, Hobby Lobby, Petco, Office Max, Staples, Lowe's, with Home Depot coming (confirmed) and Target and Best Buy supposedly coming (rumored).
Restaurants in Cookeville range from chain stuff (Chili's, Red Lobster, Outback, Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday, Logan's Roadhouse, Puleo's, Cheddar's, O'Charley's, Longhorn Steakhouse, IHOP, Starbucks, 6 Subways, 4 McDonald's, 3 Sonics, etc.) to excellent independent restaurants (Italian, German, French, Mexican, BBQ, Southern meat & threes, etc). Supposedly a new development is bringing more chain restaurants: Olive Garden, TGI Friday's, Panera, and Buffalo Wild Wings.
Even though I don't live in Cookeville, I think it's just about the nicest place around. My family moved there while I was in high school, and it was an incredible experience. I'm hoping to be able to live there again someday.
Thank you all so much for your replies. Keep it coming.
JMT - what is the International B. program? We don't have to be right on the lake - can't afford it anyway. About 10-15 min away would be good. Is there any little manmade beach areas around it where you can swim? Are there any roller skating rinks or tennis courts nearby? My daughter is into both. Is the Nashville airport fairly easy to get to from Cookeville? I keep thinking of more questions as I go - sorry to be all over the place with it.
Jengal
Thank you all so much for your replies. Keep it coming.
JMT - what is the International B. program? We don't have to be right on the lake - can't afford it anyway. About 10-15 min away would be good. Is there any little manmade beach areas around it where you can swim? Are there any roller skating rinks or tennis courts nearby? My daughter is into both. Is the Nashville airport fairly easy to get to from Cookeville? I keep thinking of more questions as I go - sorry to be all over the place with it.
Jengal
The International Baccalauareate program is essentially a high school diploma that is good anywhere in the world. Since American high schools typically have pretty dismal academic standards compared to our friends in Western Europe and Japan (I'm sorry, but it's true), the IB is a much more rigorous academic program that stresses more science and foreign languages than most American high school programs. You don't HAVE to do the IB program, but having it in the school kind of ensures that your child can be prepared for just about any university anywhere in the world if that's what they want.
There are several man-made beaches on Center Hill Lake within 15-20 minutes of Cookeville. Here's a link to the Corps of Engineers web site for Center Hill Lake which should be able to answer your questions: Center Hill Lake
Getting from Cookeville to the Nashville airport is a piece of cake. It's exactly 70 miles on I-40 from the airport exit (216) to the first Cookeville exit (286). And with a 70mph speed limit almost the entire way and very little traffic, it's an easy and beautiful 1-hour drive.
There are oodles of tennis courts around Cookeville. I think even the courts at the university are open to the public, although probably not the indoor courts. There are a bunch of courts at the old high school (now Avery Trace Middle School) that are open to the public. I think the courts at the new high school are kept locked.
I don't know about a skating rink. The old Wheeler Skating Rink from my youth is no longer there. Maybe firepower can answer that one.
And keep those questions coming! I love talking about my favorite home town.
The International Baccalauareate program is essentially a high school diploma that is good anywhere in the world. Since American high schools typically have pretty dismal academic standards compared to our friends in Western Europe and Japan (I'm sorry, but it's true), the IB is a much more rigorous academic program that stresses more science and foreign languages than most American high school programs. You don't HAVE to do the IB program, but having it in the school kind of ensures that your child can be prepared for just about any university anywhere in the world if that's what they want.
There are several man-made beaches on Center Hill Lake within 15-20 minutes of Cookeville. Here's a link to the Corps of Engineers web site for Center Hill Lake which should be able to answer your questions: Center Hill Lake
Getting from Cookeville to the Nashville airport is a piece of cake. It's exactly 70 miles on I-40 from the airport exit (216) to the first Cookeville exit (286). And with a 70mph speed limit almost the entire way and very little traffic, it's an easy and beautiful 1-hour drive.
There are oodles of tennis courts around Cookeville. I think even the courts at the university are open to the public, although probably not the indoor courts. There are a bunch of courts at the old high school (now Avery Trace Middle School) that are open to the public. I think the courts at the new high school are kept locked.
I don't know about a skating rink. The old Wheeler Skating Rink from my youth is no longer there. Maybe firepower can answer that one.
And keep those questions coming! I love talking about my favorite home town.
I will have many more questions. When I have more time - probably tomorrow. Thanks.
Okay - here are more questions. And I'm sure more to come.
We have a lot of red clay soil around here - it gets old. Is there much there, if at all?
Does the college there have any summer classes for young children? Our community college here has a summer program with things like tennis, art, etc. that last for 3 hrs, M-F. Its something for the kids to do in the summer. Anything like that there?
What do you have to do to transfer a dr license there -take a wriiten test, etc.?
What is the sales tax?
How are the electronics stores? Is there radio shack, circuit city, any privately owned? My husband is always needing computer/electronic stuff.
Is there personal property tax on vehicles and houses?
Okay - enough for now. I've gotta run out. I will have more questions though. My hubby and I may be coming there in a few weeks. Thank you in advance for any responses.
Jengal
Okay - here are more questions. And I'm sure more to come.
We have a lot of red clay soil around here - it gets old. Is there much there, if at all?
Yup, most of Tennessee has a lot of red clay soil. Extreme West Tennessee has dark, rich soil, but pretty much the rest of the state has red clay.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jengal
Does the college there have any summer classes for young children? Our community college here has a summer program with things like tennis, art, etc. that last for 3 hrs, M-F. Its something for the kids to do in the summer. Anything like that there?
Yes, between the university, the YMCA, the City of Cookeville Leisure Services Department and Putnam County Parks and Recreation, there are all kinds of summer classes and sports for kids.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jengal
What do you have to do to transfer a dr license there -take a wriiten test, etc.?
You need to take a vision test and provide proof that you're now a Tennessee resident. You don't take a written test, but you do have to surrender your current, out-of-state license.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jengal
What is the sales tax?
9.75% for everything except food, which is 8.75 percent but going down to 8.25 percent in 2008.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jengal
How are the electronics stores? Is there radio shack, circuit city, any privately owned? My husband is always needing computer/electronic stuff.
Yes, there's a Radio Shack in Cookeville as well as several other locally-owned computer shops. There's also a large Electronic Express, a Nashville-based electronics store similar to Circuit City.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jengal
Is there personal property tax on vehicles and houses?
There is no personal property tax on vehicles. In Putnam County (Cookeville) you pay $24/year for your car's license plate. There are no emissions tests in Putnam County, either.
Putnam County's property tax rate is currently $2.45. That is per $100 of assessed value, and the assessed value is 25% of the actual value of your property, and ONLY the property, not the contents of your home. So if you pay $100,000 for a house in Putnam County, your annual property taxes are $635/year. If you live in the city of Cookeville, you pay an additional property tax rate of 79 cents, or another $198/year.
Even if you do not find the classes with the YMCA or the collage there are lots of things that you can find to do with your child. But if you find something sign up for it because classes usually fill up fast. In fact I was on here looking for something for my son while my daughter is at horse camp. We spent last summer at the pool which is beside the middle school but he is 6 now and I want him to have a little more structure this summer.
You asked about Center hill. It is a beautiful place but I have to tell you I would not give up the schools in Cookeville for the Beautiful water. It is only a short drive to the lake. I drove it almost everyday when I was in high school. I dated a guy that basicly lived on the lake. It took about 25 minutes to get from Hwy 70 E to Ragland bottoms. I don't think it is a bad drive. I guess if you must be that close to the water then that is your call but I personally would rather see my kids have the chance at a better school than a good tan.
There are several computer stores there. There is even a place that comes to your house and helps set up stuff with your computer or updates it for you. Of course I have leared since my husband is a computer engineer that most of the college kids can do that to and a lot cheeper.
I miss not have to pay all the taxes and stuff on my car. We are in West TN now and it is almost $100 a car for us here between city and county.
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