Rockwood has transitioned from a mining town to a lakeside community
Rockwood’s identity has long been tied to its natural features. On the south side, parks, marinas and houses border Watts Bar Lake, a destination for anglers and boaters. North of the city, members of a motor club race cars on top of the Cumberland Plateau. In the 1800s, Rockwood’s hills drew residents searching for jobs in the community’s coal mines. After more than a century had passed, and the Tennessee Valley Authority created Watts Bar Lake, Rockwood’s terrain became a source of recreation rather than industry. Along with its outdoor activities, Rockwood’s location along Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 27 presents residents with practical commutes to Knoxville and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Victorians in the city of Rockwood, lakefront houses to the south
Ornate Victorian homes from Rockwood’s early days still stand along roads such as Kingston Street. Most of Rockwood’s gridded streets are lined with small cottages and ranch-style houses. To the south, cabins and New Traditional homes fill lakeside subdivisions. These houses often occupy larger, acre-plus lots, and many have private docks. Some lakefront homes are in flood zones, so homebuyers there may be required by their mortgage lender to have flood insurance. Most turnkey homes sell from $140,000 to $400,000. Lakefront properties can cost between $630,000 and $1.8 million.
Rockwood High earns recognition for STEM education
Children in Rockwood can start at Ridge View Elementary, which receives a C-plus from Niche. After fifth grade, students may advance to Rockwood Middle, graded a B-minus. C-rated Rockwood High has received recognition from the Tennessee Department of Education for its STEM emphasis. Students can take science- and technology-related courses such as principles of engineering and technology, digital electronics and robotics and automated systems.
Fishing, camping and more along Watts Bar Lake
There are multiple ways to access Watts Bar Lake, from the public boat ramp at Dr. Tom Fuller Memorial Park to the slips at Rockwood Marina & RV Resort. Equipped with a bar, swimming pool and rentable kayaks, the marina is one of several RV and tent campgrounds in the area. “It doesn’t matter what level you are,” says Bill Anderson, a resident and member of the nonprofit Rockwood Revitalization Inc., which runs the Rockwood Museum & Visitors Center. “If you’re a primitive camper up to [someone with a] $150,000 motor home, there are accommodations for anyone.” The lake itself is large enough to boat across with ease, and it’s stocked with game fish, such as bass and walleye. In 2025, Flatrock Motorclub opened a high-end resort with a 3.5-mile circuit track surrounded by Appalachian Mountain peaks.
Community events include classic car shows and lakeside music
Every April, hundreds of antique cars line up at Roane State Community College for the Thunder Road Festival & Car Show. The show draws inspiration from East Tennessee’s history of moonshiners and bootleggers, and one car wins the annual “Best Moonshine Runner” award. The community celebrates Labor Day weekend with Rockin’ the Ramp, a day of food trucks and live music alongside the lake at Dr. Tom Fuller Memorial Park. After the sun sets, boaters drop anchor in the cove and watch fireworks explode overhead. The Roane State Community College Expo Center hosts events most weekends, ranging from rodeos to antique tractor shows.
Gathering in downtown Rockwood for Main Street Mondays
Downtown, Cofer’s Garage pours drinks and hosts cornhole tournaments and live music in its beer garden. A block away, the family-owned MeMe’s Restaurant serves biscuits in the morning and burgers and sundaes throughout the afternoons and evenings. From April to October, the second Monday of the month is Main Street Monday, a street festival that draws people downtown with live music and games for kids. Stores such as Walmart and Tractor Supply Co. stand along U.S. Route 27. Kroger, Lowe’s Home Improvement and Roane Medical Center are in the neighboring city of Harriman.
Route 27, I-40 lead to nearby job hubs
U.S. Route 27 runs through the heart of Rockwood and can take drivers across the community. Interstate 40 passes through the north side, and it leads about 45 miles east to Knoxville. It’s about 30 miles to Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where more than 7,000 people work, and nearly a 50-mile drive to McGhee Tyson Airport, which has flights to more than 30 U.S. cities. Getting around the area is helped by Rockwood’s light traffic levels, which Anderson says is a far cry from when he lived in Nashville. “The worst thing that happens here is someone is on a tractor in front of you.”
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Written By
Alex Soderstrom
