The 1984 movie "The River" starring Sissy Spacek and Mel Gibson was filmed in Church Hill, Tennessee. After the filming wrapped, the river-front site was ceded to the city. It's now 440-acre Laurel Run Park, which offers hiking trails, picnic shelters, sports fields and fishing piers.
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Church Hill is a beautiful place to call home
The 1984 movie "The River" starring Sissy Spacek and Mel Gibson was filmed in Church Hill, Tennessee. After the filming wrapped, the river-front site was ceded to the city. It's now 440-acre Laurel Run Park, which offers hiking trails, picnic shelters, sports fields and fishing piers.
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Church Hill is a beautiful place to call home. One of the oldest permanent settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains, people have moved to this area for centuries to take advantage of mild weather and stunning views of the Holston River Valley. You'll find parks, restaurants, shopping and a surprising number of apartment homes for a town this size. Many people who live in Church Hill work in nearby Kingsport, a 10-minute drive to the northeast along US Highway 11W.
Moving to Church Hill
Your search for apartments in Church Hill will lead you to a variety of options. You can find a 1 bedroom apartment for rent as well as 2 bedroom, multi-level town homes. Landlords will require a security deposit along with the first-month's rent. To get utilities activated, you'll probably have to pay a deposit as well. Keep in mind that a good credit rating can help your efforts to secure property rentals from landlords and possibly avoid paying large deposits to utility providers.
A good number of rental apartments in Church Hill are available, but single-family homes are the most common type of housing. If you want to rent, you'll need to leave plenty of time to locate a rental apt that meets your needs. It's possible that you'll have to wait for your preferred unit to become available.
Church Hill Neighborhoods
Church Hill is a rural community with some residential areas concentrated in the city center and along Highway 11W. These offer the closest proximity to Church Hill's shopping and dining district. Elsewhere, you'll find residential development down Goshen Valley Road, Carter's Valley Road and Christians Bend Road. Subdivisions and residential development is scattered throughout these areas, but not concentrated in any one specific location or neighborhood.
Living in Church Hill
Church Hill is the largest city in Hawkins County, Tennessee, with approximately 7,000 people. Residents have access to a municipal pool, several parks, and a library. There are two supermarkets in Church Hill, several national fast food chains and locally owned eateries and shops. Don't miss the Mountaineer Restaurant for some of the area's best down-home cooking. Their fried chicken and hot fudge cake are regional favorites. In the mood for a yummy treat? Head over to Patsy's Bakery, where you'll find a wide variety of doughnuts, pastries, cakes, and pies. Decorate your new place with dcor from the Homestead Shoppe. Antique and vintage finds from this treasure trove will make your apartment feel like home before you know it!
Opportunities for outdoor recreation abound in Church Hill. Laurel Run Park offers 37 miles of hiking trails that lead up the side of Bays Mountain. Some of the trails connect Laurel Run to Bays Mountain Park, a 3500-acre nature preserve and park located on the other side of the ridge. Between the two parks, you'll find a 300-foot overlook, old homestead, an unfinished cabin and smoke house, and two waterfalls. You'll reach Laurel Falls after a relatively easy 20-minute hike. Twenty minutes further up the trail will land you at Kiner Creek Falls.