Knoxville vibe (Maynardville: transplants, school, universities)

[knrstz]

I drove through Knoxville a few years ago and was very impressed with my few hours in the city. My wife and I are looking to relocate from the midwest to an area with beautiful scenery and four relatively mild season. We just came back from Colorado Springs and loved it. I do like the fact that Knoxville is closer more cities and not as remote. I also like the greenery (not humidity) of Knoxville. My question is, does Knoxville feel like you are in the deep south or does it have more of mix of southern and northeastern influence? Is it a party town or a family town. I grew up in a college town in big 12(-2) country so I like the idea of UT keeping the town lively. I'm not looking for a party town. But I kind of like the hustle and bustle of a big city crammed into a midsize area like Knoxville. I think major universities can have a great influence on a city. The town I lived in was 1/10th the size of the town I'm in now, Wichita. Here it is so dead. So please, give me your perspective...how does Knoxville feel?

[SkyNSea55]

We moved here several years ago from the metro NY area. I can tell you that Knoxville does not feel like the Deep South. You'll find alot of transplants from the Michigan, Ohio areas. Knoxville is a nice, manageable town. The UT football games are alot of fun and if you enjoy the outdoors, the mountains are great. People are friendly and accepting of newcomers.
It may feel a bit isolated if you enjoy a larger city with more media, food and diversity. Also, alot of people are involved in their churches and it becomes an important part of the social scene. If you aren't accustomed to that, it will take some getting used to.
If you follow this forum, it is rare to find anyone writing anything negative about the Knoxville area. Mostly everyone loves it. And it's in Forbes Top 10 best places to raise a family.
The only thing I wish I could get around here is a good bagel... (And I miss the ocean..but we do have some very nice lakes.) Good luck with your decision!

[DaveC20853]

I grew up in Mass, went to school on Long Island, worked in Mass, Miss, Oh, NC and D.C.

Retired to Knoxville because, for me, it has the best of all those places.

The only way to know if it's right for you is to come and spend some time. We made several trips before decideing.

Hope you come and like it.

[knrstz]

I've noticed this is probably the most positive forum on city-data. I can't wait to come visit this fall. This may sound like a strange question but is Knoxville easy to navigate through? As someone who grew up in the midwest, you become used to flat straight roads with few trees. I've spent time in Colorado but it's more of a sudden change of scenery. There aren't lots of large rolling hills and trees on the front range. The time I've spent in NY state and other areas, I had a really hard time understanding the city layout. I know Knoxville will pose a few challenges but can someone relate how they've adjusted. I ask this question, not because I'm clueless about directions but because I work for Fedex and am required to have an extensive knowledge of the area I work in.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by knrstz

I've noticed this is probably the most positive forum on city-data. I can't wait to come visit this fall. This may sound like a strange question but is Knoxville easy to navigate through? As someone who grew up in the midwest, you become used to flat straight roads with few trees. I've spent time in Colorado but it's more of a sudden change of scenery. There aren't lots of large rolling hills and trees on the front range. The time I've spent in NY state and other areas, I had a really hard time understanding the city layout. I know Knoxville will pose a few challenges but can someone relate how they've adjusted. I ask this question, not because I'm clueless about directions but because I work for Fedex and am required to have an extensive knowledge of the area I work in.

Actually, that's not such a strange question. Even some of us who have lived in Knoxville for years and years still get lost!

As the city grew, the roads followed the natural contours of the land; rather than cutting through hills, they went around them. So there are lots and lots of very curvy, twisty roads in the area. And as various far-flung communities have grown together, the same road will end up having several names. For example, US 441 through Knoxville has four names: Maynardville Hwy, Broadway, Henley Street, and Chapman Hwy.

You'll make good use of your GPS!

But when it's all said and done, driving around Knoxville can be a lot of fun. Not only are the drivers, over all, supremely courteous (especially at four-way stops), the hilly nature of the area makes for some beautiful drives.

[creeksitter]

Overall, Knoxville has a radial highway layout, rather than the grid you are used to. So plan a little extra time getting used to the roads before you start work, if possible.

[hiknapster]

It's a college and family town, in my opinion. It definitely is not the "hustle and bustle of a big city crammed into a midsize area" type of place. It has great music venues, good food, charming buildings and lots of revitialization. My husband and I are in our 40s with a 10-year-old and we are never bored. It seems like there is always something going on and having the national park not that far away is a huge perk.

But Knoxville gives off the vibe of a very large town. People are very friendly here and I have never lived anywhere like it. You'll start running into people you've seen before after only a few months. I grew up in a tiny town and that rarely happened.

Wichita looks it might be more like a lot of people crammed into a small area. We have rural too, like that, but we also have more sprawl to our west, I think.

A lot of different ages like it, but you are going to have to see if it is for you or not.

[knoxgarden]

Knoxville is very far from the Deep South. I moved here from South Georgia and Knoxville is very different. It kept the good parts of Southern Hospitality -- the friendliness, the helpfulness, the courtesy -- but left off the less attractive parts. East Tennessee has a live-and-let-live attitude. You can live however you want as long as you respect my right to do the same.
It's a nice small City.

[knrstz]

Thanks for everyones informative responses. I'm really excited about visisting this fall. I wish there was a sticky-photo thread for Knoxville. The response about having the southern hospitality without the less attractive parts is exactly what I like. I think the south is unfairily criticized by many people. Living in an area where people are friendly is very underrated.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by knrstz

Thanks for everyones informative responses. I'm really excited about visisting this fall. I wish there was a sticky-photo thread for Knoxville. The response about having the southern hospitality without the less attractive parts is exactly what I like. I think the south is unfairily criticized by many people. Living in an area where people are friendly is very underrated.

Wow. This is so true. By this statement, I think you would probably be a great fit.

I had a very accurate picture of The South in my head. I traveled through The South as a little girl, though, and it always stuck with me. I yearned to move there for decades; I even named one daughter Scarlett.

But more and more I realize that not everyone is so enamored with The South. Their loss!

But some people really and truly don't care for friendly folks. It's just not their thing. I understand that.

Someone once said, on another forum, that it doesn't matter where you live. You do the same things. Wake up, go to work, come home. That is so untrue.

But I see where some people would not find slow drivers, drivers that stop for everyone, people that chat with cashiers instead of hurrying up, etc. as very charming. Some people just rather keep to themselves and go fast. This is not going to be a good place for them.