Wishfully thinking about moving to Tennessee, but I need a wee bit of help! (Memphis: school, to live in)

[It Won't Be Long]

So I need a little bit of help. I want to move to Tennessee, I am unsure of where to go. Keep in mind as you read this I am not from Tennessee, but I think it is beautiful and really wish to live there.

Of course I have a few conditions:
1. I would like a small town no more than an hour from a larger one. The closer the better!
2. I would like acreage. 10 acres would be awesome!
3. I have a large family...6 of us now!
4. I would also like to open a bookstore.
5. I am also Wiccan...if you are wondering what that is its my Religion. Haha So if you know this may be a problem, please be kind and refrain from snide remarks.

I know I ask for a lot, but I have searched for my "ideal" town on my own to no avail and I am just about ready to settle for something that is not "ideal". I thought that I would give this a shot!

Thanks, in advance, for your advice!

[Hoptik]

Originally Posted by It Won't Be Long

So I need a little bit of help. I want to move to Tennessee, I am unsure of where to go. Keep in mind as you read this I am not from Tennessee, but I think it is beautiful and really wish to live there.

Of course I have a few conditions:
1. I would like a small town no more than an hour from a larger one. The closer the better!
2. I would like acreage. 10 acres would be awesome!
3. I have a large family...6 of us now!
4. I would also like to open a bookstore.
5. I am also Wiccan...if you are wondering what that is its my Religion. Haha So if you know this may be a problem, please be kind and refrain from snide remarks.

I know I ask for a lot, but I have searched for my "ideal" town on my own to no avail and I am just about ready to settle for something that is not "ideal". I thought that I would give this a shot!

Thanks, in advance, for your advice!

Tennessee has strong Christian culture. I don't know if it is the right fit for you unless you try explore the teachings of Jesus for yourself and find a decent community of faith there.

[vivelafrance]

Originally Posted by It Won't Be Long

So I need a little bit of help. I want to move to Tennessee, I am unsure of where to go. Keep in mind as you read this I am not from Tennessee, but I think it is beautiful and really wish to live there.

Of course I have a few conditions:
1. I would like a small town no more than an hour from a larger one. The closer the better!
2. I would like acreage. 10 acres would be awesome!
3. I have a large family...6 of us now!
4. I would also like to open a bookstore.
5. I am also Wiccan...if you are wondering what that is its my Religion. Haha So if you know this may be a problem, please be kind and refrain from snide remarks.

I know I ask for a lot, but I have searched for my "ideal" town on my own to no avail and I am just about ready to settle for something that is not "ideal". I thought that I would give this a shot!

Thanks, in advance, for your advice!

You might look into the Nashville "exurbs." You'll be able to get lots of land and feel like you're in the country but your close enough to the city and there are a lot of newcomers so the attitudes toward religion and personal choices are very relaxed.

Some areas to check out....Westmoreland, Portland, Ashland City, Watertown, Hartsville, Red Boiling Springs, Greenbrier, Ridgetop, Lascassas...

[hiknapster]

The only Wiccans I ever met - several - were from Knoxville!

There are several 10 acre + plots in Knox County. The city is fairly small and it is rural ten minutes out of downtown in most directions. We do have a lot of well-supported bookstores, though. I guess there could be room for one more! Come check it out.

[DubbleT]

There is a Wiccan "church" (sorry if that's the wrong terminology) near where I used to live in Memphis. I googled and found there is a Wiccan Yahoo group based in the Tri-cities area too, and another group in Nashville. Looks like we have Wiccans from one end of the state to the other!

Maybe decide which larger cities and which part of the state sounds most appealing to you, and then look at their small surrounding cities?
West Tennessee's gently rolling landscape with Memphis and Jackson? Middle Tennessee's more hilly terrain with Nashville and Cookeville? East Tennessee's mountains with Knoxville, Chattanooga, and the Tri-cities?

I think your bigger challenge might be to find a small town that can support a bookstore. BTW How small is small to you, under 50K, under 20K? A village of 800? Small is in the eye of the beholder, as I found out one day at work. I made an innocent remark about how thrilled I was to have moved to such a cute, friendly little city, and received several indignant responses from my co-workers that their city was not "little". Oops.

[hiknapster]

GREAT post!

I just realized that my post seems to imply that the only Wiccans are in Knoxville and not the rest of Tennessee! Nope! The only ones I ever met (which means I didn't meet any in MA or FL) were in Knoxville.

The problem, as DubbleT says, is in finding the right place. It's probably going to be tough finding Wiccans in small towns. That's just a guess. So, you might want to stick to the cities.

Originally Posted by DubbleT

There is a Wiccan "church" (sorry if that's the wrong terminology) near where I used to live in Memphis. I googled and found there is a Wiccan Yahoo group based in the Tri-cities area too, and another group in Nashville. Looks like we have Wiccans from one end of the state to the other!

Maybe decide which larger cities and which part of the state sounds most appealing to you, and then look at their small surrounding cities?
West Tennessee's gently rolling landscape with Memphis and Jackson? Middle Tennessee's more hilly terrain with Nashville and Cookeville? East Tennessee's mountains with Knoxville, Chattanooga, and the Tri-cities?

I think your bigger challenge might be to find a small town that can support a bookstore. BTW How small is small to you, under 50K, under 20K? A village of 800? Small is in the eye of the beholder, as I found out one day at work. I made an innocent remark about how thrilled I was to have moved to such a cute, friendly little city, and received several indignant responses from my co-workers that their city was not "little". Oops.

[sendmorecops]

I live in Clarksville, which is an hour away from Nashville. Definitely do NOT move here, it has all of the disadvantages of a small town with none of the advantages, and it's not a good place to raise a family.

[skeeter66]

Bon Aqua, Lyles, Fairview, Dickson are all great places for families. There are all 45 minutes or less from Nashville. And haven't seen a bookstore in any of these places. What kind of bookstore will you open.

[leonard]

Originally Posted by It Won't Be Long

So I need a little bit of help. I want to move to Tennessee, I am unsure of where to go. Keep in mind as you read this I am not from Tennessee, but I think it is beautiful and really wish to live there.

Of course I have a few conditions:
1. I would like a small town no more than an hour from a larger one. The closer the better!
2. I would like acreage. 10 acres would be awesome!
3. I have a large family...6 of us now!
4. I would also like to open a bookstore.
5. I am also Wiccan...if you are wondering what that is its my Religion. Haha So if you know this may be a problem, please be kind and refrain from snide remarks.

I know I ask for a lot, but I have searched for my "ideal" town on my own to no avail and I am just about ready to settle for something that is not "ideal". I thought that I would give this a shot!

Thanks, in advance, for your advice!

I would recommend around Nashville. I believe it will have the best mix for you and fit your needs.

[Tinman313]

The following link once open will link you with any Chamber of Commerce in the state..I would suggest setting up a bogus e-mail address so "you" get to decide on who & whom you contact after doing research.. the chambers have all sorts of information on their City ~ Town ~ County.. and it's all " FREE" just ask... for relocation information ~ school ~ what every they are very friendly...just make sure you use a bogus e-mail... because you will have every one contacting you...
Tennessee Chamber of Commerce :: Home