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Remodeling the Model City – Highland Park
If you haven’t explored the side streets of Kingsport lately, you’re missing out on a story worth telling. While much attention has been given to code enforcement, an equally remarkable narrative is unfolding: the private sector is stepping up with reinvestment, and homeowners are purchasing properties at fair market value. Adding to the appeal, the…
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Lynn Garden Reimagined
Lynn Garden sprung up as an unincorporated neighborhood of worker cottages in the 1930s for Kingsport’s legacy industries. The community grew rapidly, necessitating the creation of a county elementary school (Lynn Garden) and later a county high school (Lynn View). Fast forward to 2024 and the community is now in the city limits with full…
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Patriots to Pioneers: Tracing My Connection to Becky Boone
I grew up hearing stories about my father’s roots in Clintwood, Virginia, in Dickenson County. It’s just over an hour’s drive north of Kingsport, Tennessee, near Virginia’s border with Kentucky. I still treasure my copy of Meet Virginia’s Baby, a book highlighting Dickenson County, the youngest in the Commonwealth, formed in 1880. What I didn’t…
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A Realtor’s Guide to Regional Schools
The Tennessee Department of Education’s recent report card offers insights that go beyond surface appearances—much like the values we cherish in people, it’s what’s inside that truly counts. Pro Tip: If you want to cut to the chase, look at the link/chart at the bottom of this article. Education isn’t just about modern buildings or…
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Northeast Tennessee offers an attractive alternative
Housing is a cornerstone of economic development, serving as a powerful driver of economic growth. Reporting statistics per capita is important because it standardizes data by accounting for population size, allowing for fair comparisons. By normalizing data, per capita metrics avoid misleading interpretations arising from raw totals, especially when populations differ significantly. With that in…
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First Families of Tennessee
First Families of Tennessee was established by the East Tennessee Historical Society (ETHS) in 1993 as a Tennessee Bicentennial project. Membership is open to anyone who can prove direct descent from a person or persons living in what is now Tennessee before or by statehood in 1796. I began my First Families journey recently. My…
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Is Northeast Tennessee growing too fast?
When people worry about Northeast Tennessee growing too fast, looking at other mid-size cities across Tennessee is helpful. Middle Tennessee’s market is undeniably white-hot, so it’s no surprise that the top four cities are from that region. But the disparity may surprise you. Those four cities account for 60% of all the homes sold. Northeast…
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The Hidden Costs of Coastal Living
As you likely know, I’ve been involved with Move To Kingsport for 25 years. Upon retirement 5 years ago, I began managing the program on a part-time basis for Visit Kingsport. Marketing my hometown has become part of my psyche, so I thought I’d share some insights we are asked by new citizens and those…
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Recharge: Life Lessons from My Watch
For some reason, I let my watch battery drain to zero. It’s an older Fitbit, which means it needs a specific charging cord with a USB plug. That complicates things because I can’t just set it on a charging pad by my bed like Apple users do. This disruption in routine often leads to a…
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Butterfly, Tenn.
Occasionally as I scan old maps of our area, I stumble across a place name that has been lost to time. Such is the case of “Butterfly, Tenn.” located at the intersection of Reservoir Road and Bays Mountain Park Road. When post offices first began, there was a need for official place names that could…