New Hope, Tennessee

Town in Tennessee, United States

New Hope, Tennessee

Town

Location of New Hope in Marion County, Tennessee.

Coordinates: 35°0′0″N 85°39′12″W﻿ / ﻿35.00000°N 85.65333°W﻿ / 35.00000; -85.65333
Country| United States
State| Tennessee
County| Marion
Area

• Total| 10.4 sq mi (26.9 km2)
• Land| 10.3 sq mi (26.7 km2)
• Water| 0.1 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation

| 715 ft (218 m)
Population

(2020)

• Total| 987
• Density| 101.1/sq mi (39.0/km2)
Time zone| UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)| UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code|

37380[1]

Area code| 423
FIPS code| 47-52780[2]
GNIS feature ID| 1310070[3]

New Hope is a town in Marion County, Tennessee, United States. The population is 987. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

## History[edit]

Originally known as Antioch, New Hope incorporated in 1974 to avoid an annexation attempt by South Pittsburg, which most of the new city's residents opposed. The name "New Hope" was taken from a local church and cemetery.[4] It is located on the eastern shore of the Tennessee River at the Alabama/Tennessee state line. Early settlers and travelers reached New Hope from the western shore by the South Pittsburg Ferry[5] (called "Sharon") on the river until the construction of the Shelby Rhinehart Bridge (Blue Bridge) in 1981.[6]

## Geography[edit]

New Hope is located at 35°0′0″N 85°39′12″W﻿ / ﻿35.00000°N 85.65333°W﻿ / 35.00000; -85.65333 (35.000112, -85.653332).[7] The city occupies the south side of a U-shaped bend of the Tennessee River, mostly downstream from Nickajack Dam. The city's municipal boundary stretches southward to the Tennessee-Alabama state line. South Pittsburg lies across the river to the west, Kimball and Jasper lie across the river to the north, and Nickajack Lake lies to the east. State Route 156 spans New Hope from east-to-west, connecting the city with U.S. Route 72 in South Pittsburg and Interstate 24 near Haletown.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.4 square miles (27 km2), of which 10.3 square miles (27 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (0.58%) is water.

## Demographics[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1980| 681| | —
1990| 854| | 25.4%
2000| 1,043| | 22.1%
2010| 1,082| | 3.7%
2020| 987| | −8.8%
Sources:[8][9]

### 2020 Census[edit]

As of the census of 2020, there were 987 people, 403 households, and 213 families residing in the town (59 households with children under 18). The median age of the town was 48.1 years (49.4% male and 50.6% female). 68.1% of the population is over the age of 18.

The median income for a household in New Hope, TN was $46,607, and the median income for a family was $56,736 (for married couples it was $61,875).

Homeownership in New Hope, TN was 90.5% over a wide spectrum of housing values, with 76.4% representing homes of 2-3 bedrooms.

52.1% reported as employed, the largest group in construction (18.1%). Of those employed, 66% work locally. 23.5% of the population were at or below the poverty line. 17.6% of the people in New Hope were reported as disabled.

Ethnic makeup of New Hope, TN in 2020 was 0.2% American Indian, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.2% Hispanic, 6.0 Mixed Race(s), and 92.8% White.[10]

## Government[edit]

New Hope is governed by an elected body of aldermen and a mayor.[11] Mr. Mark Myers is Mayor.[12] The City Hall of New Hope is located at 2610 Highway 156. The headquarters for the New Hope Fire Department is located across the highway from the Town Hall, where volunteers may serve in the community.[13] The station is also used as a polling location for Marion County during elections.[14] The New Hope City Park was formerly behind the Fire Station. On October 24, 2022, Charles and Michael King filed a lawsuit against New Hope requesting the removal of encroachments on property deeded by their father to the town for use of a volunteer fire department structure.[15][16][17] On July 17, 2023, six of the eight New Hope volunteer firefighters resigned and held a press conference in protest, claiming hostile workplace with old gear.[18][19] The neighboring South Pittsburg and Kimball Volunteer Fire Departments will cover New Hope under the direction of an appointed Fire Chief and assistant.[20][21]

## Culture[edit]

Author William Least Heat-Moon mentions New Hope, Tennessee in Blue Highways: A Journey into America[22], published in 1982 by Little, Brown and Company, chronicling the author's 12000-mile trip in remote places around the United States.[23] Festival Opera presented Carlisle Floyd’s “Susannah,” July 12 and 14, 2019, at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, CA.[24] Dubbed as “an American tale of innocence, lust, and social consequence,” the opera centers on the main character, 18-year-old Susannah Polk, a typical teenager entering womanhood in the quiet mountain town of New Hope, Tennessee, when she finds herself bereft of hope as she becomes the target of ruthless and malicious gossip.[25]

Shelby Rhinehart Bridge over Tennessee River at New Hope

## Points of interest[edit]

Nickajack Dam is located on the eastern edge of New Hope near Hwy 156 on the Tennessee River. It is a hydroelectric facility with four generating units with a summer net dependable capacity of 107 megawatts.[26] New Hope is home to the Maple View Public Use Area, located adjacent to Nickajack Cave Wildlife Refuge and home to federally endangered bats. In one evening in June 2019, representatives from Tennessee Valley Authority and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency counted 97,026 bats leaving to feed and returning to the cave.[27] Chattanooga Guided Adventures operates a dusk kayak tour from Maple View to the cave daily between March and October.[28][29] New Hope is also home to the Shrine of Our Lady Virgin of the Poor, built by Benedictine monks in 1982 for spiritual contemplation and open to anyone of any faith.[30] The Shrine is located on a 600 acre farm in New Hope[31] and opens from sunrise to sunset every day. It is a replica of the shrine in Banneaux, Belgium[32] and includes a lovely chapel, statuary, stations of the Cross, a small outdoor meeting area, a covered picnic area, a columbarium, and restrooms. New Hope is home to two protestant churches, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church[33] and Pine Grove Baptist Church.[34] There are three cemeteries, the New Hope Cemetery, the Kozelichki Memorial Wall, and the historic McDaniel-Moore Cemetery.[35]

## Economy[edit]

New Hope is home to several large manufacturing and distribution facilities, including Colonial Chemical, Inc.[36] and Lodge Manufacturing Co.[37] Colonial Chemical, Inc. hosts a quarterly TDOT litter pick-up along a two-mile stretch of Highway 156.[36][38] A $500,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant will assist with the construction of a rail spur to provide rail service into Nickajack Port Industrial Park in New Hope and enable Colonial Chemical Inc. to move forward with its planned expansion.[39] Groundbreaking for this project was held at Colonial Chemical on April 15, 2022.[40]

In March 2023, it was announced that Red Moon Development,[41] an Arizona-based RV park developer, has shown interest in building a 250 to 400 space facility alongside the Tennessee River, north of Highway 156.[42] A petition critical to rezoning this property[43] for commercial use was circulated among New Hope residents to be presented at a future Town Hall meeting.[44][45] On July 4, 2023, it was announced that the property for the RV park was "back on the market," indicating that the developer's plans to purchase the land have ceased.[46]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "New Hope TN ZIP Code". zipdatamaps.com. 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
2. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. ^ Miller, Larry L. (2001). Tennessee Place Names. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-21478-2.
5. ^ "South Pittsburg Ferry (historical) (in Marion County, TN)". tennessee.hometownlocator.com. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
6. ^ "Shelby Rhinehart Bridge". Bridgehunter.com. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
7. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
8. ^ "Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
9. ^ "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 11, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
10. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
11. ^ "New Hope". Marion County. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
12. ^ "New Hope". Marion County. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
13. ^ "New Hope Firefighters take the weekend as an opportunity for training". MarionCountyMessenger.com. September 4, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
14. ^ "Polling Locations | Marion County TN Election Commission". Retrieved April 19, 2023.
15. ^ "City of New Hope Sued | PDF". Scribd. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
16. ^ WTVC (November 30, 2022). "City of New Hope respond to suit asking to remove government buildings on private property". WTVC. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
17. ^ "Brothers file lawsuit against Marion County town of New Hope, demanding removal of facilities | Chattanooga Times Free Press". www.timesfreepress.com. April 8, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
18. ^ "StackPath". www.firehouse.com. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
19. ^ WTVC (July 17, 2023). "Majority of New Hope Fire Department resigns, claiming lack of city support". WTVC. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
20. ^ "Neighboring volunteer fire departments to cover New Hope after firefighters quit | Chattanooga Times Free Press". www.timesfreepress.com. July 18, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
21. ^ "New Hope appoints chief, assistant chief to restaff volunteer fire department | Chattanooga Times Free Press". www.timesfreepress.com. July 25, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
22. ^ Blue Highways. ISBN 9780316353298.
23. ^ Broyard, Anatole (January 13, 1983). "Books of the Times". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
24. ^ "Information". Lesher Center for the Arts. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
25. ^ "On Tap: Poetry open mic night, new art exibits [sic] open". East Bay Times. July 1, 2019. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
26. ^ "TVA - Nickajack". www.tva.gov. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
27. ^ "'It's old, but it still works': Annual bat count helps agencies monitor endangered population". timesfreepress.com. June 20, 2019. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
28. ^ "Nickajack Bat Cave Kayak Tour with Chattanooga Guided Adventures". Viator. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
29. ^ "Nickajack Bat Cave Kayak Tour". www.visitchattanooga.com. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
30. ^ "The Virgin of the Poor Shrine in Marion County beckons all". timesfreepress.com. September 27, 2011. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
31. ^ "A Marian Shrine in Marion County". uncomelyandbroken. June 9, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
32. ^ "Our Lady of Banneux", Wikipedia, October 13, 2019, retrieved October 14, 2019
33. ^ "Antioch Missionary Baptist Church New Hope, TN - MapQuest". www.mapquest.com. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
34. ^ "Pine Grove Baptist Church, 215 Pine Grove Rd, South Pittsburg, TN (2019)". www.localprayers.com. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
35. ^ "DAR Places Sign At Historic New Hope Cemetery". www.chattanoogan.com. June 10, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
36. ^ a b "Colonial Chemical continues its dedication to keeping Marion County litter-free | Marion Lifestyle". Retrieved August 19, 2019.
37. ^ "Lodge Manufacturing fires up bigger foundry in Marion County, Tenn". timesfreepress.com. December 13, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
38. ^ "TDOT's Adopt-A-Highway Program Celebrates 30 Years". www.tn.gov. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
39. ^ "Marion gets $500,000 grant for rail spur construction". timesfreepress.com. August 26, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
40. ^ Riley, David (April 15, 2022). "Long sought project finally sees the sun for local manufacturer; prospective industrial property - Marion County News". Marion County News - News, Sports, Features for all things Marion County, TN. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
41. ^ "RESORTS AND RESIDENCES". Red Moon Homes. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
42. ^ "Developers say proposed $30 million RV resort in New Hope, Tennessee, will be good for community | Chattanooga Times Free Press". www.timesfreepress.com. April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
43. ^ "TN Property Viewer". tnmap.tn.gov. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
44. ^ "Petition seeks to keep possible 400-space RV park out of New Hope, Tennessee | Chattanooga Times Free Press". www.timesfreepress.com. April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
45. ^ "Most New Hope, Tennessee, residents voice opposition while some favor new RV resort development | Chattanooga Times Free Press". www.timesfreepress.com. April 25, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
46. ^ "Marion County RV park off the table as 110-acre New Hope, Tennessee, farm goes back on market | Chattanooga Times Free Press". www.timesfreepress.com. July 4, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2023.

## External links[edit]

* Media related to New Hope, Tennessee at Wikimedia Commons
* Municipal Technical Advisory Service entry for New Hope — information on local government, elections, and link to charter

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Marion County, Tennessee, United States

County seat: Jasper

Cities|

* New Hope
* South Pittsburg
* Whitwell

Map of Tennessee highlighting Marion County

Towns|

* Jasper
* Kimball
* Monteagle‡
* Orme
* Powell's Crossroads

CDPs|

* Griffith Creek
* Sequatchie
* Whiteside

Other
communities|

* Aetna
* Haletown
* Mineral Springs
* Suck Creek

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* Tennessee portal
* United States portal

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*[%±]: Percent change
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