Tennessee guys and gals

After you know how to properly say it, you'll be able to spell it. It spells like it sounds.

Ewwwwell Tee Waaahhhh

OOl TE WAH

 

Im sure to job market and economy are tough in all regions of the country. Chattanooga is a fairly small city to be so well known and popular amongst much larger ones. But it has a lot going on for it. As mentioned, VW is throwing down close to a billion dollars to construct a new plant here, and has already begun ground breaking. There are many well established anchor companies that have a long history in the city for over 50 years, and some for over 120 years that are in the middle of expansion projects, when everyone else in other cities is closing down or down sizing. Mckee foods, which makes the Little Debbie brand snacks is based there, as is Chattem Drug, that makes many popular brands of products for the drug industry. TVA is based there. Buckaroo moved its operations from the west coast to here in our back yard about 3 years ago.The education system is nationally renowned for excellence. Many people watched the Beverly Hillbillies in the 60's, and believed it! The south has really overcome many peoples perception of its culture and abilities. I just had a new employee transplant from Binghampton, NY. about 3 months ago, and he loves it here. Even though he left his job of 10 years there, his opportunity for better money and the standard of living was much better here. After only just 3 months, he has already begun to see and experience the benefits of his move. There is also many non-auto related things to do here also, its a tourist town. There's hiking,canoeing, military National Parks, horseback riding,boating and watercraft activities, world hang gliding competition held here,mountains,camping,hunting and fishing,golf,college football,regional baseball team(Chattanooga Lookouts) + many more Kevin could mention that I might have overlooked. Not to mention the hundreds of car themed companies and activities here,World of Wheels and H.O.G. Rally has been there. Rain or shine 365 days a year, there is always something to do here. Very people friendly city....Im sure everyone's heard the expression "Its a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there", i've traveled to many places in the US, and have seen many nice cities and communities abroad, and not that I have extremely deep roots here, but I haven't seen anywhere else that has the appeal or as much to offer as Chattanooga that I would want to live....

 

Cleveland is the place to be.

 

If you can get around all the damn ricers running the strip.

 

Good stuff there. I've always lived here, raised in East Brainerd most of my life. Went to Atlanta for a year and came running back. IMO the plan for moving here is to live anywhere around Chattanooga and just drive in for work. Soddy Daisy is an old farm town, Hixson is a bustling area for new industry, East Brainerd is where the money and action is at and the heart of the economy on the outskirts, East Ridge is old school with small town politics, Red Bank is lower income with small town politics.

Then you have the mountains wrapping around. Lookout is the tourist mountain and you need some cash to live there. "Old money" runs the mountain. Signal is the "new money" mountain. All the sons and daughters of the old money that own business's move to Signal, but it is very diverse as all the old school families that were lower middle were here before the money came so it's mixed up pretty well. Zero crime rate, kind of a little Pleasantville.

I chose Signal because it's "nice". Nice in the way that everyone waves to you, scenery is excellent, people have a few bucks in their pocket so no crime is done up here. Nobody is starving. I can see Chattanooga from my house looking out over the valley. Everybody knows everybody, yet nobody cares..... you can know and like the neighbor and still get peace. When you're ready to say hi, they are welcome to see you.

Chattanooga does have some crime, so does East Brainerd and Hixson. The two latter are much lesser than in the city of course. Signal simply doesn't have any at all and you can sit here and watch people going about their business in the city from right here on top of the mountain.

Here are the demographics for Signal. A few noteworthy items are:

~ There are more women than men!
~ Most people are married
~ Low divorce rate
~ Most people have a diploma or degree

Scroll down to "Crime in Signal Mountain by Year" near the bottom. Murders in the last 6 years - Zero. Robberies in the last 6 yrs - Zero. Assaults in the last 6 yrs - Seven. Yeah........ 7 people didn't get along in the city over a period of 6 yrs.


http://www.city-data.com/city/Signal-Mountain-Tennessee.html

Population (year 2000): 7,429. Estimated population in July 2005: 7,146 (-3.8% change)
Males: 3,470 (46.7%), Females: 3,959 (53.3%)

Median resident age: 43.6 years
Median household income: $66,900 (year 2000) (which = $250k to $300k Cali bucks)
Median house value: $181,900 (year 2000) (which = $700k Cali bucks) *cost of living conversion

Races in Signal Mountain:
White Non-Hispanic (97.8%)
Hispanic (0.8%)
Two or more races (0.7%)

Ancestries: English (25.9%), German (17.3%), Irish (14.5%), United States (9.0%), Scotch-Irish (8.8%), Scottish (5.3%).

For population 25 years and over in Signal Mountain
High school or higher: 95.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 64.5%
Graduate or professional degree: 24.8%
Unemployed: 2.5%
Mean travel time to work: 25.1 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Signal Mountain town
Never married: 14.5%
Now married: 69.2%
Separated: 0.3%
Widowed: 10.5%
Divorced: 5.6%
2.9% Foreign born (1.2% Europe, 0.9% Asia, 0.5% North America, 0.4% Latin America).


Signal Mountain compared to Tennessee state average:

Unemployed percentage below state average.
Black race population percentage significantly below state average.
Hispanic race population percentage significantly below state average.
Median age significantly above state average.
Foreign-born population percentage significantly below state average.
Renting percentage below state average.
Length of stay since moving in above state average.
Number of rooms per house above state average.
Percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher significantly above state average.

 

Oh, you mean "Hooterville"? lol. I'm from Dayton originally, and we always ragged on the "Owls" hometown...(high school football stuff). Seriously though, it is a nice town, and just outside of Chattanooga as well.

 

And just get a whisper of snow and the close the road between Pigeon Forge and Gattlinburg in the park (US 441). I was there in OCTOBER and it came just a whisper and they closed it down and I had to go all the way around all of those mountains to head south. A couple of years ago I was almost to the top in my 4WD Navigator and some park police told me I could'nt go on because it was too bad up there and he was in a Crown Victoria ... Had to go around through Maggie Valley and the snow was worse there than through the park!

 

I lived in Knoxville years ago. Good area, great location. Bristol or that area was better for cars, but it wasn't too far.

 

Lehr........sooner or later it'll be someone elses turn to have a bike shop.....I'm going on 32 years here.

count scrapula........I met the guy who has an F100 in Crossville who fixes carnival rides and makes fiberglass F100's...does airbrushing .... when we did the worlds longest garage sale a couple years ago...we're coiming back for it this summer.


Glad to see all you guys ribbin on each other. Everyone around here says our towns family tree don't branch......but we have a ton of hot rod stuff for only 14,000 population.


Michigan Rick

 

Midnight..I can not say it properly,I have a "yankee"accent,just ask kevin.When I first started working there I had a local translator go with me to get parts!i still get the "you ain't from 'round here is ya......Dave

 

New VW plant being built in Chattanooga.
Not too old Toyota engine casting plant in Jackson.

Just gotta find your niche.

 

I was born in Morristown (pronounced Mars-town, for those who don't know the vernacular) eastern TN, about an hour north of Knoxville...great town...and have family from Greenville to Chattanooga...boy do I wish I was raised there!! ...but I am just Yankee Catholic trash now, grew up mostly in Delaware, and do not get enough time there. LOTS of great cars and not too far from Tri-Citys, Gatlinburg, Marysville, Bristol, Great Smoky Mtns., Neyland Stadium (home of the Vols and greatest football played in the world...GO BIG ORANGE!!!)...just to name a few...but you will need a few things to fit in:

...for the front.....................for the back........................for gameday!!

 

Here's video coming into Chattanooga:



Here's pics of Chattanooga:

http://s32.photobucket.com/albums/d5/audiogodz1/chatty/

http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/chattanoogapics/newpics/

http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/chattanoogapics/incline/

http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/chattanoogapics/

 

As someone mentioned earlier , I live in that " old farm town " called Soddy Daisy ! Although I think it's progressed a little beyond that ! Regardless , you can't go wrong locating anywhere in east Tennessee . Of course , the farther north you go in the state , the more the weather declines in the winter . Knoxville will get snow far more often than the Chattanooga area but still nothing like what you get in Michigan . Anywhere in this area is close to beaches in the summer ( Florida - 6-8 hour drive ) . Atlanta , Nashville , Knoxville , Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg all are within a 2.5 hour drive . If you're a NASCAR fan , take your pick - Charlotte , Atlanta , or Talladega are all within a few hours drive . If you're into Civil War Historical sites , well , you can't go wrong here as this area is covered in such sites as well as Civil War re-enactments yearly . This mixed with all the other info already talked about shows the desirability of residing in this area . And of course , the Southern Hospitality is free ! Good luck !

 

I bet were starting to sound like a travel brochure.(LOL) But its a great place, and many of the surrounding cities and communities reap the benefits also. Cleveland and Ooltewah are very good places not far outside Chatt....

 

Hell you're right.... I forgot they built a new Walmart out there.

(git'er done)

 

LOTS of great places listed above and since I am a transplant from Montana , and do not like winter weather , I find myself in southern middle Tn. - Wartrace to be exact. Very small town but close enough to all of the goings on as listed above - 1 hr to Nashville - 1.5 hr to the smokies - Which get just a bit to much winter for me , I lived in Knoxville for a couple of years - Shelbyville ( 11 MIles away ) has the Hoodlum Alley Cruziers Car club and a lot of car guys within 15 miles - great lake roads and lots of local shows and the weather is just right for me at least. Ive lived in this area twice - came back fron Nevada ( Reno Area ) Hot August Nights country - To hot and a different mind set there. Nothing wrong with those folks but I just prefered this area. Hope you come to this area when you come to check out the state - We , The Foxtail Car club ( My Own Club just getting started ) would love to show you around - Just let me know if I can be of any help _ Jaxx

 

Amazing! Every post from a Tennesseean (is that right?) is very positive concerning living in Tennessee, while every New Yorker (including me) is looking to escape the hell outta here. It can't ALL be just the weather............................

 

i live in brownsville tn (in west tn just east of memphis) its not too bad just a small town, i would stay out of memphis at all costs. jackson isnt too bad i dont guess but I have been there so much I cant really say a whole lot about it. If i were to move here though I would try and stay around middle Tn, lawrenceburg, nashville etc or east tn. But thats just me

 

Hey anywhere between Knoxville and Chattanooga is OK we have a show or cruise-in just about every weekend starting in March. And we're close to Pigeon Forge if your up for the challege!! Plus we have kool rides whether you want classy or just good old Hot Rods!!

 

Midnight 50...I saw your pics of the First Tenn Pavillion...Next time roll that Pontiac on in there.



I think it makes a good backdrop.

 

Jaxx, kinda OT, but you got any jobs down there? I'm searching...

 

Well Earl , " we all gotta be famous for something " !

 

Midnight the tour guide......I've done "North Shore" all the tourist stops a few tunnels around town,,,Honest chucks, Coker,,,even Buck Wild.....great town

I'm more of on the outskirts kind of guy. A few miles to the big city convieniences..

I'm glad I guess you all want to disown Memphis..at least you all agree. What about the guy who builds guitars out of cigar boxes???

What about Cascade Hollow?? Best booze in the world made there. What about Tullahoma?? One of the car mags calls it home... What about Hohenoma or something like that.....home of the elephant sanctuary?? (wife loves elephants)


Oh hell I'm coming to all your houses to see what I'm in for.


Michigan Rick

 

West Tenn. is not holding up very well. I also live in Brownsville pronounced (Brownville the S went too Wal MartS ) West Tenn has alot of hot rod history just stay out of Memphis. Jackson is a good area. Check out the Bunny Run in Jackson April 17--19th. Hosted by Jackson Rod and Custom.

 

Thank you , speedmaven !

 

Hay Mike - This is Jaxx again from Wartrace - Tullahoma is only 11 mile from were I live. - 7 miles to the lake - and we will be glad to have you at our house. so come on - Jaxx

 

I am a long time car guy, could have lived anywhere in the country, picked Sparta, tn." Mayberry " no problems, nice buch of car cguys in all derections. few dragstrips, enough car shows , drive-in , great roads. Cheap living !!!!! come on down