Kingsport TN....any info?

[vpack05]

We're looking to relocate this summer to this area. Anyone have any info to share on schools, community, DON'T LIVE HERE, etc?

Thanks!!

 

[vpack05]

 

[Sirius]

Kingsport is a nice little town. Kingsport city schools are really good, especially Dobyns-Bennett. ETSU and ETSU Medical school are close. Abingdon, Virginia offers The Barter Theatre - one of the best in this part of the country. Shopping is a bit limited at the moment, but Knoxville is just and hour and a half south and Asheville, NC and Biltmore House are just an hour away on I-26. The TriCities (Bristol, Johnson City, and Kingsport) actually has a lot to offer. The area's Appalachian culture, lakes, and nearby mountains draw a lot of visitors.

I'll think of more to tell you later. I love the area, although I no longer live there. If you go, eat at Pal's for me.

I hope I was of some help.

 

[ilovepcot]

Wonderful area! Went to school there and have former classmates that decided to stay when they graduated. They've raised families and are happy with the community in every way. I visit occasionally and always dread leaving and returning to FL. Are you considering a town other than Kingsport in which to live? Most all my friends live in tiny little towns located nearby but one does actually live right in Kingsport. Do you happen to have a specific town in mind you'd like to know more about?

 

[vpack05]

I was stressing a bit that I might move my girls into a bad area! Atleast it sounds positive from what you say. I really any and all info. Feel free to share more!

Thanks!!

 

[vpack05]

Wonderful area! Went to school there and have former classmates that decided to stay when they graduated. They've raised families and are happy with the community in every way. I visit occasionally and always dread leaving and returning to FL. Are you considering a town other than Kingsport in which to live? Most all my friends live in tiny little towns located nearby but one does actually live right in Kingsport. Do you happen to have a specific town in mind you'd like to know more about?

We actually don't care where as long as the girls can go to Dobyns-Bennett High. I'm just a single mom and want to find the best affordable area for them.

 

[ilovepcot]

Emailed my friend in Kingsport to ask about the area in which you must reside to attend D.B. Don't know that she's even around right now but here's hoping!

 

[vpack05]

Emailed my friend in Kingsport to ask about the area in which you must reside to attend D.B. Don't know that she's even around right now but here's hoping!

Thank you so much!!

My email is KPAC04@aol.com

Is it a good area for kids? I noticed a chemical plant on the map...made me think my baby would grow another ear or limb if we moved close!

 

[SC Minnie]

The chemical plant is Eastman Kodak there is also a Weyerhaeuser paper mill there too but it has new machines and does not smell like the old paper mills.

 

[WonderfulDreamer2]

My DH grew up in Johnson City and we lived in Kingsport for a while. I personally did not like it there. The Eastman Plant (a city in itself) stunk and while this was about 6 years ago, Kingsport just didn't offer much to me. We only lived there for a year. Johnson City is nice. The area it's self (ie East Tennessee) is beautiful but the cost of living vs pay is a little high there. I am an RN and worked at Johnson City Medical Center...the pay sucked.
Elizabethton is also a quaint little town there. The new highway has made the trip to Ashville an hour or less.
Hate to be the only negative but I wouldn't move back ther. Of course, lots of folks love it.
Good luck on where ever you end up.

 

[Jen S]

I live in Johnson City, and I'm afraid I'm going to have to second some of what WonderfulDreamer 2 said, especially about the smell factor. Eastman is the major employer in Kingsport, and it does smell. Don't let people tell you that it doesn't. Some people's sense of smell may be stronger than others, but I can tell you I can smell the plant from all different parts of the city, and on hot summer days it is especially fragrant.

On the other hand, the city has been growing quite a bit in the last couple of years, especially in the Stone Drive area. There's been lots of retail moving in, and as mentioned above, Dobyns-Bennett is a great school.

I would look at the entire Tri City area if you are interested in moving. Johnson City also has great schools, with Science Hill High School and University High in its city limits. It is a beautiful area and very convienent to a lot of different tourist destinations. It's great being able to go over to Asheville for the day or down to Gatlinburg on the spur of the moment.

Oh and Sirius is right. Pals is absolutely to die for!

Good luck with your search!

 

[tnhillbilly]

hello, i live on the outside of Kingspot. Where in kingsport are you looking to relocate, some places are better than others, will you need a job when you get here?, and why DB? have you looked at other schools? ask anything you want and i will try to give you the ans.

 

[ilovepcot]

My friend emailed me back this morning with the following:


Kingsport is in Sullivan County. There are two school systems, county and city. Dobyns-Bennett is the only city high school. If you don't live in the city limits of Kingsport, you are supposed to go to a county school. There are ways around that. You can pay tuition and if there is room (the principal decides) you can go to a city school. I don't know the cost now or the availability. She might call, write or email the school system or the principal to find out. Also if the child has athletic ability, D-B might recruit him, even though they will deny that this happens.

People say Dobyns-Bennett is the best in the area, but it really depends on what you mean by best. (Both of my sons graduated from D-B.) The county high schools, Sullivan South, Sullivan North, Sullivan Central, and Sullivan East are all good schools. They have much better vocational programs than D-B. D-B has the football team and other sports programs that win a lot. They have a huge, award-winning band and color guard. Also cheer leaders, dance team, show choir, and more. They have a good computer program, too. But they don't have masonry, plumbing, carpentry, and electrical like some of the county schools have.

Actually, Kingsport isn't a "big" town. It has less than 50,000 people. There are two other slightly larger towns within commuting distance - Bristol and Johnson City. There are also a lot of small communities around. The county seat is actually Blountville. It is pretty small and I think they are in the Sullivan Central area. Bluff City is another small town nearby. Church Hill and Mount Carmel are small communities to the west. Rogersville is to the west in the next county, Hawkins. Rogersville is about 45 minutes away. Fall Branch, Jeroldstown, and Baileyton are small communities to the south. Greeneville is a small town about 45 minutes away to the southwest. Jonesborough is a small town about 45 minutes to the south. I am trying to give her some places to research. The website for the city schools is : http://kcs.k12k.com/

There are links there to the individual schools. The website for the county schools is : http://www.scde.k12.tn.us/

I hope this helps her decide!

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

It never ceases to amaze me how many people we meet on these boards. I'm from Gray, a tiny community about 15 minutes from Kingsport. I'll agree with the others, I really love it here, low crime, beautiful surroundings, great place to raise children. I'll also agree that Kingsport smells weird. It's not a bad smell, but it's a smell. And not every day, just certain days---maybe depending on what they are doing at Eastman that day? I really prefer Johnson City (which is about 20 minutes from Kingsport). My town is right in the middle of both Kingsport and Johnson City, and I choose to go to JC every time for shopping, recreation, etc.
That said, I wouldn't like to live IN Kingsport or Johnson City, there are several small communities surrounding those cities that are nice. It's really a personal preferance though, some people don't like having to drive 20 minutes to the mall, I don't mind that one bit.
If you have any questions feel free to PM me!

 

[ilovepcot]

My very best friend on the entire earth lives in Gray! Beautiful little place. We usually meet in Jonesborough to shop, eat and sightsee. Hope to be visiting her in the very near future.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

What a small world!! Make sure you eat at Main Street Cafe when you're in Jonesborough---great food in a neat old building.