Looking for info on Sneedville, TN (Memphis, Knoxville: to rent, how much, hotels)

[BLP]

Hi All,
We are thinking about moving to the Sneedville and I was hoping for a little info on the area. Is high speed internet access available? What is the nearest town for shopping? Is the area really as pretty as it's pictures? What about the people, are they friendly and willing to accept newcomers?
Any information you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
BL

[mbmouse]

Hi
I have been over the Clinch Mountains to Sneedville and have talked with a few people who are from there. It is in the middle of nowhere, that I do know and seemed to me to be a very poor town. I can't imagine there would be many jobs there and I do know the median income per household there is about 13k a year. I don't know for sure, but I can't imagine there being much options for High Speed Internet, but you can check with Mountain Net, the company that would service that area with high speed or the phone company, which I assume would be Embark (formally Sprint).
If I recall there is a small grocery store and a dollar General, plus a few other small stores in Sneedville.The nearest town would be Rogersville for Shopping, and it is not close. There is a mountain between Sneedville and Rogersville, the main road over it is route 66. One day in winter, about 3 years ago, I was picking up a friend in Poor Valley (between Sneedville and Rogersville) who lost power and had car troubles. My car could not get back up the switchbacks. I slid all over the place trying to get up, another car and I had to turn around, and go around the mountain, took me 2 hours to get back to Rogersville. And I was driving a good front wheel drive car! That is typical I hear when it snows all along HWY 66. More snow up there than about anywhere else in TN. The lay of the land is beautiful! What ever pictures you saw, I'm sure it is just as pretty if not more so in person. As for them accepting newcommers.....I know I was looked at like I had 3 heads when I stopped for gas because I was a woman in a business suit. I believe that was the town where a man sitting outside the gas station made a comment that he made sure I would hear that "women belong at home in the kitchen" As he spit his tobacco on the ground. I got a good laugh over it as I drove off. I know I am not painting a very nice picture of the town. I don't mean to speak badly of it, just letting you know my experience there. Could very well be way off course. Unfortunately, that is about all I know of Sneedville. I have driven all over every road I could in Hancock and Clayborn County, starting from Hwy 25 heading towards the Cumberland Gap and the tunnel up there, all of that Country is BEAUTIFUL! I had to drive to La Follet everyday for about 2 weeks about 6 years ago and really enjoyed the drive. But the little towns, are all SO spread out and rural. I also believe these are the areas of East TN that have generation after generation of people that live there and have never gone anywhere else and not to welcoming of "outsiders". Then again, I could be totally wrong. Please keep us on the forum informed on your search, I would love to hear what you find out about that area, I have always been intrigued about it as it is some of the most beautiful country I have seen but very few people live there or seem to want to move there. We almost never hear about that area on the news either, curious to find out the why's behind it.

[BLP]

Thank you so much for the information. I'm not concerned about the lack of employment opportunity as my husband and I are retired, but being a creature of habit, I am concerned that I can be happy there. The main reason we are considering the move is to be closer to the grandkids who are in Indiana. Secondly, Florida is so HOT and so HUMID!!! We just went thru another hurricane scare and I'm sure there will be more this year. 2 years ago when we got hit with 3 in a row, the sound of a generator stayed in my head for months as we were without power for several weeks. We will probably drive up there this Tuesday to look it over and look at the property we are considering. Should be interesting and I will surely let you know what our experience is. Again, thanks for the reply.

[mbmouse]

I hear ya! I moved form South East Fl myself about 10 years ago, never have I regretted the move! Best thing I ever did. My office is in Kingsport, just up the road from Rogersville, stop in and say Hi, I would love to meet you! And if you need some recommendations on places to stay or eat while you are here, just let me know! You can email me (link under my user name top of this post) or pm me as I don't think they would let me put the commercial links to hotels and restaurants on here??? If you are looking for a place that has easy access to a good road that will get you over to 75 that leads to Indiana and not be in Knoxville, you might want to really consider farther over towards 25E that I was talking about earlier...Just a thought. I know that rd that goes from Sneedville to 25E (hwy 33) is a real winedy one! But that might be just what you are looking for.

[BLP]

We may just take you up on the offer. Basically we're just looking to go back to the basics of life, a simple life. We stay so busy here and I'm so involved in a non profit organization and getting totally burned out on it. Making a move like this is just a bit scary for me. I'll drop you an email.

[mbmouse]

A move to a new place can cause anyone to have apprehension, especially when you don't know anyone, I have been there done that. That is why I frequent this forum, so I can hopefully make it easier on others. I look forward to meeting you.

[Summerlashea]

I live in Sneedville, so I guess I can tell you anything you want to know! A lot of people are retiring to our little town, so people are doing better at welcoming outsiders. As far as the internet goes, some people inside the city limits can get high-speed but that's about it. I have dial up, I'm sad to say. You can e-mail me at mabes@k12tn.net and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have. The land is beautiful and the prices are reasonable. It is a safe, friendly community for the most part. Hope I can be of some help to you!

[mbmouse]

Thank you Summerlashea! I really don't know all that much about Sneedville, tell us more about it please. Like I said earlier, the land I know is beautiful! Some of the valley views just blew me away, but there just didn't seem to be much there. Tell us more about it please? How many stores are there? Are there any industires? I really need to take one of my weekend road trips out that way soon. How much snow do you get?

[anika]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

A move to a new place can cause anyone to have apprehension, especially when you don't know anyone, I have been there done that. That is why I frequent this forum, so I can hopefully make it easier on others. I look forward to meeting you.

I am new to this forum and I am searching for a better lifestyle and environment. Fort Lauderdale is one big mess, there is no community, friendly people, the environment is ugly, weather hot, humid, manic esp. when hurricane season arrives. I feel lost, lonely and loosing my spirit. I am originally from NYC and have lived in Queens, summers went to upstate NY. I miss New Yorkers attitude and energy. I am a single mom, raised all three and they have their own lives. I have English Bulldogs and there are few animal lovers here. I have until May, 2007 to get out but I need a place which is affordable, employment and friendly people who love and accept animals. I am an only child so it is scary but if I don't get out I will surely wilt away. Anything for me out of here.

Anika

[mbmouse]

I know what you mean about South Fl, I left for a lot of the same reasons. East TN ended up being the perfect place for me and my children. I am not sure what YOU mean by NY'ers attitude and energy, but I have MY opinion of what that is, I was raised in CT and been to NY several times, and I will tell you if our opinions on that are the same, that is not what you will find in East TN, especially in a small, very rural town like Sneedville.
East TN is a slower pace of life. I learned very quickly to adapt to what is called "TN time" Which means if you want to hire a contractor to work on your house, it will take a lot longer than you expect and you have to be patient. If you want to get a return call in 5 minutes to answer your question, probably to going to happen before the next day. Except for maybe Nashville, Knoxville or Memphis, what we call "City life" here verse NY is TOTALLY different! You will not find high rises, a coffee shop on every corner, fast service, traffic jams and horns blowing. I don't believe there is a single subway system in TN. Public transportation is only available in much larger cities and usually span only a 10 mile radius if that (again, not including Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis) In many places, you can expect to drive at least 5 miles or more to a grocery store, rural areas, 10 is more realistic, even further if you want a big one that has the exact specialty product you are looking for. (I had to go to 6 or more grocery stores to find endive)
There are friendly people here (as long as you accept them and not try to make this place change to be like where you are coming from before it got it's problems), the environment is beautiful and the weather is comfortable (I think), there are no hurricanes, and there are a lot of animal lovers, unless of course you want to rent, then very few want pets on there property, but you can find them. There is employment available here, but it depends on what kind you are looking for. I guess it really all depends on your ability to adapt and what you are really looking for in a "home town" that makes you enjoy life.
That is what this forum is here for, other opinions on an area and to make a move less scary, at least that is why I am here, and yes, this is just my opinion.
Any specific questions you have about East TN, ask, I'll do my best to answer.
Hope this helps!