I've included a lot of information here about the town to help you get comfortable in your new home.

Jamestown Information

Fentress County was established in 1823, named for James Fentress (1763–1843), a state legislator. It includes part of Dale Hollow Reservoir and is drained by forks of the Obey and Cumberland Rivers, but only 0.3% of its 499 square miles is water. It includes two cities, JAMESTOWN and ALLARDT, and a number of unincorporated communities including Armathwaite, Banner-Roslin, Banner Springs, Boatland, Davidson, Forbus, Glenobey, Little Crab, Martha Washington, Mount Helen, Pall Mall, Shirley, Tinchtown, Wilder, and Zenith.

Compared to the rest of the country, Jamestown's cost of living is 26.5% lower than the U.S. average. The unemployment rate in Jamestown is 5.3% (the U.S. average is 6.0%).

Jamestown's population is 2,131 people. Since 2020, it has had a population growth of 16.1%.

97.7% of Fentress' population was white according to the 2019 census. 79.8% of Fentress' population are high school graduates, with 13.6% holders of a bachelor's degree or higher and 75.6% of households have a computer.

Fentress County has been largely Republican since the Civil War. In the last Presidential election, Fentress County remained overwhelmingly Republican, 85.2% to 13.9%.

It is the easternmost county in the United States to observe Central Time.

Schools

Here's a link to the Jamestown Chamber of Commerce: http://www.jamestowntn.org/

There are four primary schools in Fentress County: Allardt Elementary, Pine Haven Elementary, South Fentress Elementary, and York Elementary.

There are three middle schools: Allardt Elementary, Pine Haven Elementary, and York Elementary encompass grades Pre-K through eighth grade.

The two secondary schools in Fentress County are the Clarkrange High School and the Alvin C. York Institute, a public high school here in Jamestown. It was founded as a private agricultural school in 1926 by Alvin York and later transferred to the state of Tennessee in 1937. It is the only comprehensive secondary school in the United States that is financed and operated by the state government.

In addition, Faith Christian Academy is a private high school located in Jamestown; it has 73 students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12th.

Regional opportunities for higher education in Fentress County include Roane State Community College and the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCAT), a public college system with campuses in nearby Crossville and Oneida.

Churches

But even if you aren't a churchgoer, this is what people mean when they say "God's Country" and you can't help but feel a sense of peace as you ride through the Big South Fork and through the local state parks. Here, you'll enjoy The Cathedral Of The Great Outdoors…any day of the week!

The major denominations are well represented, both here in Jamestown and in surrounding towns. As you'd expect, there's Southern Baptist and Freewill Baptist. There's Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Episcopal, as well as Unitarian Universalist (UU). Others include Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist, Jehovah's Witness, and Mennonite.

Some have spires, some have stained glass, some hold services in a commercial metal building. Some don't look like they could hold more than 50 people but they all have one thing in common….they're well attended, judging by the number of cars parked, in some places, every which way! More than that and, more importantly, country folks here seem to live their religion, caring for the members of their community.

Taxes

Tennessee has some of the lowest property taxes in the U.S. The average property tax rate in Tennessee is 0.64%, and Fentress County has the fourth lowest in the state at 0.44%. In 2020, the Fentress County "mill rate" was 1.9100. The Fentress County Trustee’s Office is responsible for collecting the county’s property taxes, which are due and payable October through February without penalty.

There is no income tax on wages in Tennessee. The flat 1-2% tax rate that applied to income earned from interest and dividends was repealed in

January of 2021. Retirees in the Volunteer State don't pay tax on their 401(k), IRA or pension income, and Tennessee retirees also collect Social Security benefits without paying state tax on them.

Medical

There's a hospital in Crossville, about 45 minutes south of Jamestown, a large hospital and medical community in Cookeville, about an hour to the west, and the world-class Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, about two hours away on I-40W. In the opposite direction, Knoxville's University of Tennessee Medical Center offers comprehensive care. Both Vanderbilt and UT are designated as Level I trauma centers.

Most residents subscribe to Air Med Care Network for air ambulance services.

Locally, Fast Pace Urgent Care here in town, offers primary care as well as providing care for allergies, colds, and flu, administers stitches, does x-rays and lab work on-site...all on a walk-in basis. A satellite emergency department facility affiliated with the University of Tennessee Medical Center has opened in Jamestown. There are several excellent local drug stores in Jamestown.

Good news for veterans moving to the Big South Fork, who are eligible for care provided by the Veterans Administration either through the Alvin C. York Campus in Murfreesboro, which is a little over two hours away, and at the Nashville Campus, which is about 20 minutes further.

When a VA facility is located in proximity to a medical school under the auspices of a major college or university, its staff is augmented

by specialists from that medical school. Moreover, many interns and residents from the medical school are actually on the staff at the VA, both full time and on an outpatient-care basis. The quality of care for mid-Tennessee veterans is uncommonly high because the VA here is partnered with the medical school at Vanderbilt University (the Harvard of the south!)

Public Utilities

City Lake, the town reservoir, is the source of Jamestown's water supply which delivers approximately 1.6 million gallons of drinking water daily. The Fentress County Utility District is located at 1076 Taylor Place Road in Jamestown. The phone number is (931) 879-7639. Hours are Monday-Friday from 7:00 to 3:30.

Water

Electric

Volunteer Electric Corporation (VEC) provides electric service to Jamestown and surrounding areas. The office is located at 1023 Old Highway 127 South in Jamestown. The phone number is (931) 879-5853. Hours are Monday-Friday from 7:00 to 4:00.

NOTE: several local banks accept payment of water and electric bills.

Telephone

Twin Lakes provides telephone service, broadband, and television to Jamestown and surrounding areas. The office is located at 202 Rugby Avenue in Jamestown. The phone number is (931) 879-5811. Hours are Monday-Friday from 8:00 to 5:00.

Comcast Cable is also available in some areas. (800) 266-2278

Cell phone service is provided by Verizon Wireless/Russell Cellular (931) 879-1999 or by US Cellular (931) 879-7329

Weather

Many who relocate to Jamestown want four distinct seasons and are attracted by the short, mild winters. Tennessee has a generally appealing climate year-round, with an average high temperature in winter of 49°F and an average low of 30°F. During the winter months, snowfall does occur but is usually not heavy and it lasts from only a few hours to a few days. Average annual snowfall is about 10 inches, falling mostly in January and February. You can usually ride all winter, picking your days. Horses don't need elaborate barns; a simple shelter will do. And they generally don't need to be blanketed, which greatly simplifies winter horse-keeping. Also, with the foliage off the trees, it's the best time to enjoy the area's dramatic topographic features.

In the summer, it's hot everywhere, and this is the south so what did you expect? Good news, though: Jamestown, Tennessee is up on the Cumberland Plateau, about 1,600 feet above sea level, and it's usually 5-10 degrees cooler here than "down below," in Knoxville or Nashville.

There's a community pool in town and a new splash park for kids, a beach area at nearby Pickett State Park, as well as a number of excellent local 'swimmin' holes.'

Fentress Farmers' Market

Farm to fork isn't a passing fad or a marketing slogan. For many, locally-sourced, farm-fresh, and farm-to-table is a way of life, and there's a very active farmers' market here. The Farmer's Market is a collection of local growers, bakers, and crafters who have been setting up this summer in the pavilion in front of the town Senior Center on Saturdays with fresh produce, flowers and plants, eggs, cheese, bread and baked goods, delicious treats, and unique hand-crafted items. Items sold as part of the Fentress County Farmers Market Association must be grown or made by the person(s) representing the business. To participate in the outdoor market,

vendors are asked to pay $1 for every $25 they make in sales to help cover the cost of insurance.

World's Longest Yard Sale

The World's Longest Yard Sale now comprises 690 miles, or thereabouts, across six states, from Gadsden, Alabama, to Addison, Michigan.

Headquartered in Jamestown, Tennessee, this unique event was first held in 1987 to lure travelers off of the interstate highways and onto the scenic back roads along the Route 127 corridor through Kentucky and Tennessee.

Attracting hundreds of thousands of bargain-hunting road trippers, the annual World's Longest Yardsale always starts on the first Thursday in August and continues four days through the weekend, ending on Sunday. You can either hunker down or join in the fun, going 'yardsale-ing.' You never know what treasures you might trip over!

Mark Twain Park

Even though Samuel Langhorne Clemens’ actual birthplace is in Missouri, his parents owned a vast amount of property in this area. His two sisters, Pamela and Margaret,

were born in Jamestown in 1827 and 1830. The Clemens family lived in Jamestown until five months and twelve days before "Mark Twain's" birth.

Today in Jamestown, there is a Mark Twain inn and restaurant, and a Mark Twain post of the American Legion. The old spring near the courthouse square where the Clemens family got their water, and the log cabin where they lived, is preserved as the pretty little Mark Twain Park, next to the post office.

Area Attractions

Tennessee Aquarium

Don't miss a day trip to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. The aquarium is home to more than 12,000 animals representing almost 800 species. Construction began in November 1988, and the aquarium opened to the public on May 1, 1992 on the banks of the Tennessee

River in downtown Chattanooga, with a major expansion added in 2005. More than 20 million people have visited the facility and it is consistently recognized as one of the country's top public aquariums. The IMAX Theater offers a selection of top-rated documentaries.

Zoo Knoxville

You may also enjoy a day trip to the zoo in Knoxville. It's only about two hours away, just off exit 392 on interstate 40. Zoo Knoxville has about 800 animals including mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians in creative naturalistic outdoor habitats spread over 53 acres. The Knoxville Zoo has been successful at breeding several endangered species, especially red pandas and white rhinos. In 1978, the zoo also bred the first African elephant in captivity in the Western Hemisphere.

The Hermitage

The Hermitage was once the home of Andrew Jackson ("Old Hickory") who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. It opened as a museum in 1889 and is considered by many historians to be the best-preserved early U.S. presidential home in America. Originally built between 1819 and 1821 as a brick, Federal-style house, it underwent a major renovation during Jackson’s presidency but a devastating fire heavily damaged the house in 1834. When the the work was completed in 1837, the Hermitage mansion was perhaps the most fashionable house in Tennessee. The Jackson family owned 1050 acres, as many as 150 enslaved workers, and grew

mostly cotton, the source of their wealth. Dozens of outbuildings necessary to operate the plantation and the remains of several can be explored by visitors, thereby bringing to light the stories of the enslaved workers who lived at The Hermitage during Jackson’s time. Slavery is part of American history until 1865; Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage supports racial justice in an effort to educate visitors about the past. 4580 Rachels Lane, Hermitage, TN 37076. (615) 889-2941

Alvin C. York State Park

Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887–September 2, 1964), also known as Sergeant York, is a local hero, having been born in nearby Pall Mall.

Alvin York died at the Veterans Hospital in Nashville of a cerebral hemorrhage, and was buried at Wolf River Cemetery in his hometown of Pall Mall. Several government buildings have been named for York, including the Alvin C. York Veterans Hospital in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Many places and monuments throughout the world have been named in honor of York, most notably his farm in Pall Mall, Tennessee, which is now

open to visitors as the Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park. Activities there on Memorial Day and Veterans Day weekends include re-enactors in period dress. A replica of a WWl-era SpadXlllbi-plane is now on permanent display.

Historic Rugby

You will surely enjoy a visit to nearby Historic Rugby, eating at the Harrow Road Cafe or at R.M. Brooks store and café, just up the road, shopping in the commissary and other small businesses, attending numerous events scheduled there throughout the year, and visiting the carefully preserved or restored nineteenth-century buildings.
When the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area was developed, Rugby supporters worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a master plan for developing Rugby as the southern gateway into the park. To that end, the village of Rugby and many of its

historic buildings were placed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Rugby Colony Historic District.

The town was founded in 1880 by British author and social reformer, Thomas Hughes, as a utopian society where those who wished could build a strong agricultural community through cooperative enterprise while maintaining a cultured, Christian lifestyle, free of the rigid class distinctions that prevailed in Britain. During the 1880′s, Rugby flourished as the newly built Cincinnati-Southern Railroad completed a major line to Chattanooga, opening up this part of the Cumberland Plateau, and two trains a day ran to Cincinnati, providing a link to goods, services, and entertainment.

As was the Victorian custom, literary societies and drama clubs were established. Lawn tennis grounds were laid out. Other activities included English-style rugby football, horseback riding, croquet and swimming in the clear flowing rivers surrounding the town site. The grand Tabard Inn, named for the hostelry in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, soon became the social center of the colony. The Thomas Hughes Public Library was the pride of the colony and Rugby printed its own weekly newspaper. General stores, stables, sawmills, boarding houses, a drug store, dairy, and butcher shop were all in operation.

By 1900, most of the original colonists had left, many for other parts of America. Though Rugby declined, it was never deserted. Individual residents, some children of original colonists, struggled over many decades to keep its fascinating heritage alive, its surviving buildings and lands cared for, and its story told.

Highland Manor is Tennessee's oldest winery, combining traditional winemaking techniques with modern technology, including all stainless steel equipment, to ensure the production of great-tasting, high-quality wines. Visitors are treated to a tasting of their fine wines, a tour of the winery, and are invited to stay a while and enjoy the unexpected charms of Highland Manor Winery by picnicking on the grounds while enjoying the beauty of the vineyard and blueberry patch.

There is a large gift shop with every item an oenophile might enjoy as well as custom gift baskets with a selection of wines, crackers, and cheeses. The Winery is a popular destination when someone needs a special bottle of wine to bring to a hostess, or for an occasion when a gift is sought.

The Winery hosts several events each year such as Wine N' Swine and Cajun Day. It's also a popular venue for weddings, graduation parties, and anniversary celebrations.

Tennessee is also home to the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg and the George Dickel Distillery in Tullahoma, both close enough for a day trip and a tour.

Highland Manor Winery

Sports

York Institute "Dragons"

Sports are very popular here, as you might imagine. There is a great deal of support for the York Institute's high-school teams, the Dragons. The school colors are purple and gold and you'll often see them festooned around town.

University of Tennessee "Vols"

Football fans are in luck here. No matter which way you turn, you'll see pride and support for the University of Tennessee football team, the Tennessee Volunteers or "Vols," as they are known far and wide. The nickname is derived from the State of Tennessee's own nickname, the Volunteer State, having sent more volunteers than any other state but Virginia to fight for the Confederacy during the Civil War and more volunteers to Union ranks than any other state, period.

The Vols are an NCAA Division I football team and a member of the Southeastern Conference, playing college football since their beginning in

1891. They play at historic Neyland Stadium at UT's home campus in Knoxville. Stadium capacity is just over 100,000, the fifth largest in the country, and the home games have been described as a "sea of orange" due to the large number of fans wearing the school color. The Tennessee "T" is another distinctive feature and appears in two places in Vols tradition. Players sport a large "T" on the sides of their helmets, and the team also runs through another "T" formed by the Pride of The Southland Marching Band with its base at the entrance to the Tennessee locker room in the north endzone. The team makes a left turn inside the T and runs toward their bench on the east sideline. Primary rivals include Alabama's Crimson Tide, Florida's Gators, the Georgia Bulldogs, Kentucky Wildcats, and the Vanderbilt Commodores. Through rain, snow, sleet, or shine, the Vols faithful are always out in full force to cheer them on as they prepare for battle. The Bluegrass tune "Rocky Top" is not the official Tennessee fight song but is the most popular, widely recognized as one of the most hated by opponents in collegiate sports. The Vols mascot is a live Bluetick Coonhound, a breed native to Tennessee.

Tennessee "Titans"

The Tennessee Titans are a professional football team based in Nashville. They compete in the NFL. The team originated in Texas as the "Houston Oilers," relocated to Tennessee in 1997, and were known for two years as the "Tennessee Oilers" but changed their name to "Tennessee Titans" for

the 1999 season. The team currently plays at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, and their training facility is at Saint Thomas Sports Park, a 31-acre site at the MetroCenter complex in Nashville.

Throughout the club's history, the Titans played in the XXXIV Super Bowl,

where they lost to the St. Louis Rams. Since 2016, the Titans have had five consecutive winning seasons and made three playoff appearances in that time.