Caring neighbors and a waterside locale meet in Kingston
Helen Tammaro and her husband had lived in Kingston for less than two years when their house burned down. The Tammaros hardly knew anyone in town, but that didn’t stop locals from checking in on them while they lived in a hotel or prevent church congregations from collecting donations for the couple. “Eight out of 10 times when we went to pay [at a restaurant], someone had already paid for us,” says Tammaro, broker and owner of Tammaro Realty in Kingston. “That made a real impression on me. The real attraction here is the people.” The friendly nature of the small city pairs with its peaceful views of the Clinch and Tennessee rivers and bountiful boating and fishing opportunities on Watts Bar Lake. However, Kingston isn’t an isolated waterside getaway; it’s 20 miles from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where 7,000 people work, and within an hour’s drive of Knoxville, East Tennessee’s biggest city.
Lakefront homes and large, rural properties
Subdivisions of ranch-style homes, split-levels and New Traditional houses fill much of the city limits. Several communities border the lake, with houses located near public boat ramps or connected to the water by their own private dock. Due to the area’s terrain, opportunities to build lakefront houses in Kingston exceed other East Tennessee lakes, such as Norris Lake, Tammaro says. “There’s much more buildable land… And you don’t need a tram to get [downhill] to the water.” East and south of the city limits, large Cape Cods and cabins overlook several acres of land. Turnkey homes with three or fewer bedrooms typically cost between $150,000 and $330,000. Small homes with lake views can cost up to $590,000. Prices for spacious lakefront homes can vary from $700,000 to $1.75 million. A minority of waterfront properties sit in flood zones, according to FEMA.
Students zoned to Roane County School District
Kingston Elementary receives a B from Niche, while Cherokee Middle scores a B-plus. Career and technical education courses at B-minus-rated Roane County High include welding and pharmacological science.
Boat launches, a trail and a historic fort line the water
The Clinch River and Tennessee River flow alongside Kingston and feed into Watts Bar Lake. Boat ramps dot the shoreline, providing access for those who want to cruise on the water or fish for bass or crappie. Kingston City Park utilizes the waterfront with a 3-mile trail along the shoreline and a public boat launch. Locals also visit the park for its tennis courts, playground and baseball field.
Down the shore, the palisades of Fort Southwest Point rise from a bluff overlooking the water. The structure is a reconstruction of an Army fort originally built in 1797, when Tennessee was a new state at the edge of the U.S. frontier. Guides provide tours of the fort, and, in December, they take guests across the grounds by candlelight, while reenactors tell Christmas stories by the fire.
Shops and restaurants along North Kentucky Street, more in Knoxville
Many businesses operate along North Kentucky Street. The road passes Dollar General, Kingston Ace Hardware and several drive-throughs before leading to Food City. Next to the grocery store, Maple Creek Bistro serves upscale Southern dishes. Residents can cross the river into Harriman to go to Lowe’s Home Improvement or Walmart. Twenty miles east, people can shop department stores, big-box retailers and fashion brands at Turkey Creek, a Knoxville shopping district.
I-40, I-75 route across East Tennessee
Interstate 40 passes through Kingston, and locals can take the highway directly to Knoxville, about 35 miles away. Residents can also use Interstate 40 to drive to McGhee Tyson Airport, also 35 miles from Kingston. Interstate 40 also leads to Roane Medical Center, less than 5 miles away. East of Kingston, Interstate 40 meets Interstate 75, and the latter extends south to Chattanooga and Atlanta.
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Written By
Alex Soderstrom
