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Chattanooga Blue Moon
A cruise along the Tennessee River in Chattanooga. Photo courtesy of Chattanooga Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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Pat and Chuck Blackley.
Maggie Valley Country Club
Thirty acres of fairways make up the golf course at Maggie Valley Country Club in North Carolina.
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Chattanooga Blue Moon
A cruise along the Tennessee River in Chattanooga. Photo courtesy of Chattanooga Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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Photo by Pat and Chuck Blackley.
Harpers Ferry, West VA
A breathtaking view greets visitors at Maryland’s Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, across the Potomac River from Harpers Ferry, W. Va.
Prefer painting in oils or hiking in the woods? Looking for small-town quiet or big-city bustle? From health care to haute cuisine, here is 2007’s rundown of some of the best places to retire or relocate in the region.
Where’s the best place to retire? If you ask that question, a lot of people will quickly point to the Blue Ridge region.With the typically moderate, yet distinct four seasons, charming small towns, the mountains and the friendliness of residents, it’s easy to see why the entire area is ripe for retirees and second-home owners who are looking for a mountain lifestyle.
"Our Urban Cabin"
Cynthia Nesson and her husband, Bruce, pinpointed Chattanooga, Tenn., as their retirement locale after living for 20 years in Atlanta, where Cynthia served as an administrator at Grady Memorial Hospital and where Bruce was an architect. He still spends about two days a week working in Atlanta and has an office in downtown Chattanooga.
During the years they lived in Atlanta, they visited Chattanooga regularly and witnessed exciting growth.
“We always wanted to live downtown, but we couldn’t afford it in Atlanta,” says Cynthia.“We found a space in downtown Chattanooga with a private rooftop terrace and we bought it about four years ago. We called it our ‘urban cabin’ and we’d come up and visit.”
Two years ago, they made the leap.Their house in Atlanta sold within a week and they headed to Chattanooga.The Nessons believe downtown living is exhilarating – they are within walking distance of great restaurants and entertainment, and they enjoy riding the free electric shuttle down Main Street when their three-year-old grandson comes in for a visit.
“We walk with him to the art museum along the river – what a great place for grandchildren! We feel like we are a part of a community for the first time,” Cynthia says. “We’re enjoying our life more than ever.”
Because of Cynthia’s love of art – she’s been a collector of pottery, paintings and photographs for more than 40 years – and also because of her friendship with area artists, she was invited to join the Visual Arts Board for Chattanooga, an opportunity she says she never would have gotten in a big town.
A Round of Golf
C. B. Turner and his wife discovered Maggie Valley, N.C., 18 years ago.They were living in Boca Raton, Fla., and vacationed frequently in east Tennessee before they traveled across the mountains to play a round of golf at the Maggie Valley Club. They fell in love with it, and as Turner says, “We have never spent a night on the Tennessee side of the Smoky Mountain since.”
At first, they began spending three months a year in Maggie Valley, and finally decided to buy a house and retire to the area. Turner has also witnessed the transformation of the Maggie Valley Club, which recently unveiled a newly remodeled $6 million dollar clubhouse. The property also includes condominiums and homes with scenic mountain views.
“This is a magnificent place to live and enjoy the golf course,” says Turner.
Energy, Vitality, Growth
Near Greenville, S.C., Jim Dailey and his wife settled into a small golf community in Traveler’s Rest two years ago. They decided they wanted to retire to the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains, and in early 2001 they began their search. The first place they visited was Greenville. They fell in love with it, and for them, no other place they visited seemed to compare.
Dailey spent 32 years working for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He moved up the ranks, and when he retired he was the director of the Office of Homeland Security for the FCC.
“Retirement is great,” he says. Of course, he’s not sitting still. He’s been on planning committees at the Greenville Chamber, and is a current participant in the Leadership Greenville program.
“We love the energy, the vitality, the growth and the dynamic nature of the whole area,” he says. “People are here from everywhere, which makes it very diverse both culturally and professionally.”
Putting a Paintbrush to Use
Down in Blue Ridge, Ga., Sarah Verner, executive director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Art Association, quickly points to Garth Weeks as an active retiree and self-taught artist who amazes others with his painting skills. His principal love is creating landscapes, although he’s quick to say, “I don’t consider myself a serious painter.”
He and his wife discovered Blue Ridge while visiting a friend. They fell in love with the area, and three-and-a-half years ago they picked up stakes in Marco Island, Fla., and relocated to Blue Ridge.
Weeks had owned his own advertising agency for 29 years where he won multiple awards including at least 60 Addy Awards. He quickly became involved with the Arts Council in Blue Ridge volunteering his marketing skills, and also his painting skills. But, as Weeks says with a laugh, he wasn’t painting scenic views on canvas. Instead, he picked up a paint brush and worked on applying paint to the walls and ceilings. His work contributed to the renovations of the courthouse in downtown Blue Ridge, where the arts council moved its offices.
In addition, he’s used his talent to create logos for the arts council, as well as the banners, which hang from the courthouse columns.
While Blue Ridge seems the perfect fit in terms of being a nice, picturesque town, Weeks says the best part is the people he’s met. He says it’s friendlier and easier than in Florida.