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If you would like to retire in a place with a community-oriented atmosphere, with tree-lined sidewalks, hiking trails
through acres of wooded wild-life preserves and almost within walking distance of one of the best trout streams to be found
anywhere, you just might want to pay a visit to Norris or Oak Ridge, Tennessee, small towns resting within the shadows of
the Great Smokies and Cumberland Mountains in the lake country of East Tennessee. Surprisingly, these picturesque communities
are less than thirty minutes from downtown Knoxville, a booming metropolitan area with great hospitals and health-care facilities,
a major university, superb restaurants and shops and a wide assortment of cultural activities ranging from an opera company
and symphony orchestra to weekly free outdoor concerts featuring pop, rock and bluegrass music. Situated just two miles
from I-75, access to Norris is both quick and attractive, with a four-lane approach lined with green fields and split rail
fences. Built in the 1930's to house workers for TVA's Norris Dam, Norris was designed as a true master-planned community
with a network of small, bungalow-style homes connected by a network of winding streets, walking and hiking paths and sidewalks.
More and more retirees are finding that Norris is a great place to retire. A relatively low cost of living, quick
access to nearby shopping and medical facilities and a mild climate all contribute to its desirability for anyone wishing
to escape the pressures of big city living. And while the inventory of new homes is practically non-existent within
the city limits of this small village, the prices of the renovated cottages that date from the 1930's remains a bargain,
especially when compare to the costs of housing in most larger cities. Spacious, open green spaces were left for public
commons and school sites. The majority of the original homes, while small and unassuming, have been preserved and carefully
maintained or renovated. And although there have been a number of new homes built in recent years, one still finds an absence
of urban sprawl and vehicular traffic. Approximately twenty minutes west of Norris is Oak Ridge, known throughout the
world as a result of its role in the development of atomic energy. Today, Oak Ridge's economy is still closely tied to
the scientific community, and high tech companies retain a definite presence. Its affordable cost of living, excellent schools
and quality health care facilities make it a highly desirable place to live or retire. Oak Ridge, like Norris, is readily
accessible to several nearby lakes, including Norris Lake, a 34,000-acre paradise that has become a mecca for houseboaters,
water skiers and fishermen. Three state parks are close by, and the Great Smoky Mountains, with the tourist towns of Gatlinburg
and Pigeon Forge, can be reached in an hour or less. For those interested in pursuing educational activities, the University
Of Tennessee in Knoxville, and Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge offer a wide variety of credit and non-credit courses
covering a multitude of subjects. Population: Norris (1,500) Oak Ridge (27,200) Anderson County (71,300) Nearby Cities:
Clinton, Knoxville Climate: January Avg Low: 27 July Avg. High: 88
Rainfall: 55" Snowfall: 9"
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