River Shoals was originally part of a privately-owned farm in Hawkins County in the foothills of northeast Tennessee. The Holston River traverses the entire length of the county and divides it into two nearly equal sections. The landscape in Hawkins County ranges from relatively flat valleys dotted with farms and pasture land to the high mountain ridges of the Appalachians.

This area so embodies the sense of a peaceful, rural setting, it was in the movies. Scenes for the film “The River,” starring Mel Gibson and Sissy Spacek, were shot just across the water from River Shoals in the early 1980’s. The property is now called Laurel Run Park and filmmakers gave the land to Hawkins County after the movie production closed.

East Tennessee
Living in East Tennessee means you’ll enjoy four distinct seasons including mild winters. It means friendly folks and beautiful mountains and lakes. Tennessee offers residents a low cost of living, no state income tax and a convenient location that’s reachable by car in less than a day by more than half the nation’s population.

 

Rogersville / Church Hill
The seat of Hawkins County is Rogersville, founded by Joseph Rogers, who settled on the site in 1786. Rogersville is the second oldest town in the state and its antebellum courthouse is one of only six remaining in Tennessee. Church Hill has the largest population of the five towns in Hawkins County and is named after the First United Methodist Church – the “church on the hill” – that overlooks much of the downtown area.

Tri-Cities
The Tri-Cities refers to the region surrounding the cities of Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol in the northeast corner of the state. Along with Southern hospitality and mountain charm, the area has a diversified economy and a variety of cultural and educational resources. Eastman Chemical Company in Kingsport is among the region’s largest employers; East Tennessee State University in Johnson City offers 200 undergraduate, graduate and medical programs of study; and Bristol claims one of the most unique racing venues in the country in the acclaimed Bristol Motor Speedway.