Tennessee Cities and Towns

In the mountainous Cumberland Plateau of Franklin County in the southeastern part of middle Tennessee located between Chattanooga and Nashville is the census-designated place (CDP) of Sewanee. It’s best known as the home of “The University of the South,” popularly known as “Sewanee,” one of the nation's top-ranked liberal arts colleges and a seminary of the Episcopal Church. Students, faculty and staff live and work together on what they affectionately call “The Mountain,” a 10,000-acre campus which provides an unparalleled place in which to study and reflect. The city was built after the Civil War by English stone masons and looks as if you have stepped into Oxford. A bountiful source of activity, annual events include: the Tennessee Williams Writers Conference, performing arts live theatre, classical and chamber music performances and guest lecture series.

The campus is great for walking, biking or hiking. The University Golf Course offers a place to get your 18 holes in for the day. McClurg Hall, the University’s new dining hall, is open to the public and is only one of several eateries located on campus for your dining pleasure. Also in this historic town is “The Sewanee Review,”America’s oldest continuously-published literary quarterly since 1892.  Nearby is one of the oldest boarding-day schools in the South, St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School, a private school for grades 6 through 12, with a student population of 100-boarding and 150-day students. The Templeton Library, the repository of the papers of area native financier, Sir John Templeton, has recently been built in Sewanee. This University Town offers golf, tennis, arts, music, theatre, medical facilities and more in a small town with a small town atmosphere. A resource of recreational, intellectual and cultural activities is ongoing and available to all residents on “The Mountain.”

Monteagle is located northwest of Chattanooga near the South Cumberland State Recreation Area. Nestled in the peaceful mountains, Monteagle is a safe, picturesque community with luxurious bed and breakfasts and country inns, cool mountain breezes and stunning mountain views. Monteagle is the narrowest place on the plateau between Chattanooga and Nashville and the highest point of land at 2,100 feet. It has been a gateway to the communities of the Southern Cumberland Plateau since the late 1700s. In May of 1870, John Moffat, a native of Glasgow, Scotland, settled with his wife and children in the unbroken forest that later would become Moffat Station and still later, the city of Monteagle. Today Monteagle has become a major recreational area with 16,000 acres of South Cumberland State Park. The park region has miles and miles of hiking trails, waterfalls and mountain streams for fishing, guided nature tours, swimming, golf and tennis. Spelunking (cave exploring) abounds in the numerous limestone cave formations. Monteagle is also home to a winery that produces some of the world’s best known grape varieties. The wines produced here have earned more than 100 national and international awards. Tours are available for visitors to see the wine making process first hand. Grundy County offers untold pleasures for the family wanting to explore the wonders of nature. 19th-century Victorian cottages on the Monteagle Assembly Grounds, local craftsmen and good country food combine to make this an area unique in a variety of culture and lifestyle.

Chattanooga