Halls Crossroads, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Halls Crossroads is an unincorporated
community in northern Knox County
, Tennessee
. As a northern suburb
of nearby Knoxville, Halls is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town takes its name from the Thomas Hall family that settled in the area in the late 18th century.
, which are characterized by long, narrow ridges that run in a northeast-southwest direction. The community is nestled between several ridges, most notably Black Oak Ridge and Beaver Ridge, which divide Halls Crossroads from Fountain City
to the south. Along with Fountain City, adjacent communities include Powell
to the west, Corryton to the east, and the city of Maynardville to the north. Halls is drained by the Beaver Creek Watershed. Beaver Creek
runs through the center of Halls Crossroads, and parallel to State Route 131, known locally as Emory Road, flowing 25 miles to the Clinch River
, and eventually into the Tennessee River
at Kingston, Tennessee
.
It is located at 36°04′49"N 83°56′33"W. It has an elevation of 1,040 feet.
passed a bill instructing the militiamen to cut and clear a road by the most eligible route to Nashville at least ten feet wide and fit for passage of wagons and carts. This road is now known as Emory Road and Tennessee State Route 131
in the Halls Crossroads area. One of the earliest settlers was Thomas Hall who arrived in the valley around 1796 from Orange County, North Carolina
. Hall married Nancy Hais Sept. 25, 1783 two years after his release from a British prisoner of war camp in Charleston, South Carolina
. He fought for freedom and was captured by the British in the Siege of Charleston
. For this service the U.S. government presented Hall a parcel of land. It is to this northern side of Black Oak Ridge that Hall settled.
Two generations later Thomas Hall’s grandson Pulaski went west during the California Gold Rush
and settled on a ranch in Oregon
. He returned to Halls and married Joyce Hall, Sept. 8, 1859. Pulaski and his family owned and operated one of the first businesses in the Halls area as early as 1860, a general store and inn as well as a blacksmith shop. The store was known as Halls Crossroads. Halls High School
was one of the first schools in the area, founded in 1916, the school was named for Pulaski Hall.
operates five public schools in the Halls community including Halls Elementary School, Adrian Burnett Elementary School, Brickey Elementary School, Halls High School
, and Halls Middle School. Private schools nearby include Garden Montessori School, Temple Baptist Academy
, Natures Way Montessori School, and St. Joseph School.
maintains its corporate headquarters in Halls. The community also is the site of Halls Stockyards, a cattle
auction
facility.
The John Sevier Hunter Education Center (JSHEC) is located on Rifle Range Road in Halls Crossroads. It is a multi-use facility managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
for the public. The center provides Hunter Education classes and has various firearm and archery ranges.
Halls Crossroads is home to many large churches, most notably Beaver Dam Baptist Church, the oldest church in Knox County
, and one of the oldest churches in the state of Tennessee
.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
community in northern Knox County
Knox County, Tennessee
Knox County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its 2007 population was estimated at 423,874 by the United States Census Bureau. Its county seat is Knoxville, as it has been since the creation of the county. The county is at the geographical center of the Great Valley of East Tennessee...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. As a northern suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of nearby Knoxville, Halls is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town takes its name from the Thomas Hall family that settled in the area in the late 18th century.
Geography
Halls Crossroads is located in the Ridge-and-Valley AppalachiansRidge-and-valley Appalachians
The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from southeastern New York through northwestern New...
, which are characterized by long, narrow ridges that run in a northeast-southwest direction. The community is nestled between several ridges, most notably Black Oak Ridge and Beaver Ridge, which divide Halls Crossroads from Fountain City
Fountain City, Tennessee
Fountain City is a neighborhood in northern Knoxville, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. Although not a census-designated place , the populations of the two zip codes that serve Fountain City— 37918 and 37912— were 36,815 and 18,695, respectively, as of the 2000 U.S. census...
to the south. Along with Fountain City, adjacent communities include Powell
Powell, Tennessee
Powell is an unincorporated community in Knox County, Tennessee, United States. The United States Geographic Names System classifies Powell as a populated place. The area is located in the Emory Road corridor, just north of Knoxville, southeast of Clinton, and east of Oak Ridge...
to the west, Corryton to the east, and the city of Maynardville to the north. Halls is drained by the Beaver Creek Watershed. Beaver Creek
Beaver Creek (Tennessee)
Beaver Creek is a tributary of the Clinch River in Knox County in East Tennessee. It drains a watershed area of between Copper Ridge and Black Oak Ridge. It flows from northeast to southwest from the Gibbs High School area, through the Halls, Powell, Karns, Solway, and Hardin Valley communities,...
runs through the center of Halls Crossroads, and parallel to State Route 131, known locally as Emory Road, flowing 25 miles to the Clinch River
Clinch River
The Clinch River rises in Southwest Virginia near Tazewell, Virginia and flows southwest through the Great Appalachian Valley, gathering various tributaries including the Powell River before joining the Tennessee River in East Tennessee.-Course:...
, and eventually into the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
at Kingston, Tennessee
Kingston, Tennessee
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Roane County, Tennessee, United States, and is adjacent to Watts Bar Lake. Kingston, with a population of 5,264 at the 2000 United States census, is included in the Harriman, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area....
.
It is located at 36°04′49"N 83°56′33"W. It has an elevation of 1,040 feet.
History
In 1785 the North Carolina General AssemblyNorth Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
passed a bill instructing the militiamen to cut and clear a road by the most eligible route to Nashville at least ten feet wide and fit for passage of wagons and carts. This road is now known as Emory Road and Tennessee State Route 131
Tennessee State Route 131
State Route 131 is a south-to-north highway in the U.S. state of Tennessee that is 67 miles long. It is designated as a secondary route.State Route 131 begins in Knoxville at Kingston Pike State Route 131 is a south-to-north highway in the U.S. state of Tennessee that is 67 miles (108 km)...
in the Halls Crossroads area. One of the earliest settlers was Thomas Hall who arrived in the valley around 1796 from Orange County, North Carolina
Orange County, North Carolina
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,801. Its county seat is Hillsborough...
. Hall married Nancy Hais Sept. 25, 1783 two years after his release from a British prisoner of war camp in Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. He fought for freedom and was captured by the British in the Siege of Charleston
Siege of Charleston
The Siege of Charleston was one of the major battles which took place towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, after the British began to shift their strategic focus towards the American Southern Colonies. After about six weeks of siege, Continental Army Major General Benjamin Lincoln...
. For this service the U.S. government presented Hall a parcel of land. It is to this northern side of Black Oak Ridge that Hall settled.
Two generations later Thomas Hall’s grandson Pulaski went west during the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
and settled on a ranch in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. He returned to Halls and married Joyce Hall, Sept. 8, 1859. Pulaski and his family owned and operated one of the first businesses in the Halls area as early as 1860, a general store and inn as well as a blacksmith shop. The store was known as Halls Crossroads. Halls High School
Halls High School
Halls High School is a high school in the Halls Crossroads suburb of Knoxville, Tennessee, operated by Knox County Schools. Founded in 1916, the school was one of the first in the area...
was one of the first schools in the area, founded in 1916, the school was named for Pulaski Hall.
Education
Knox County SchoolsKnox County Schools
Knox County Schools is the school district that operates all public schools in Knox County, Tennessee.- History :Before the 1987-1988 school year, the city of Knoxville and Knox County operated separate school districts...
operates five public schools in the Halls community including Halls Elementary School, Adrian Burnett Elementary School, Brickey Elementary School, Halls High School
Halls High School
Halls High School is a high school in the Halls Crossroads suburb of Knoxville, Tennessee, operated by Knox County Schools. Founded in 1916, the school was one of the first in the area...
, and Halls Middle School. Private schools nearby include Garden Montessori School, Temple Baptist Academy
Temple Baptist Academy (Powell)
Temple Baptist Academy is a private school located in Powell, Tennessee. It was established in 1971 by the Temple Baptist Church as a ministry to educate their students of their Christian values....
, Natures Way Montessori School, and St. Joseph School.
Economy
Regal Entertainment GroupRegal Entertainment Group
Regal Entertainment Group also known as REG is a movie theater chain headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. Regal operates the largest and most geographically diverse theater circuit in the United States, consisting of 6,775 screens in 548 locations in 39 states and the District of Columbia as of...
maintains its corporate headquarters in Halls. The community also is the site of Halls Stockyards, a cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
facility.
Recreation
Nearby golf courses and country clubs include Beaver Brook Golf & Country Club, Three Ridges Golf Course, and Beverly Park Junior Golf Course. Halls Community Park features multiple ball fields, a playground, and a community center. The park is connected to the Halls Greenway, a hiking and biking trail that runs along Beaver Creek to the Halls Library. The Halls Senior Center features amenities like a computer center, a billiards room, conference rooms, arts and craft centers, and a community kitchen.The John Sevier Hunter Education Center (JSHEC) is located on Rifle Range Road in Halls Crossroads. It is a multi-use facility managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is an independent state agency of the state of Tennessee with the mission of managing the state's fish and wildlife and their habitats, as well as responsibility for all wildlife-related law enforcement activities...
for the public. The center provides Hunter Education classes and has various firearm and archery ranges.
Halls Crossroads is home to many large churches, most notably Beaver Dam Baptist Church, the oldest church in Knox County
Knox County, Tennessee
Knox County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its 2007 population was estimated at 423,874 by the United States Census Bureau. Its county seat is Knoxville, as it has been since the creation of the county. The county is at the geographical center of the Great Valley of East Tennessee...
, and one of the oldest churches in the state of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
Notable people
Notable past and present residents of Halls Crossroads include:- Michael L. CampbellRegal Entertainment GroupRegal Entertainment Group also known as REG is a movie theater chain headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. Regal operates the largest and most geographically diverse theater circuit in the United States, consisting of 6,775 screens in 548 locations in 39 states and the District of Columbia as of...
, founder and chairman of Regal Entertainment GroupRegal Entertainment GroupRegal Entertainment Group also known as REG is a movie theater chain headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. Regal operates the largest and most geographically diverse theater circuit in the United States, consisting of 6,775 screens in 548 locations in 39 states and the District of Columbia as of... - Pete DeBuskPete DeBuskAutry O.V. Pete DeBusk is the owner and chairman of DeRoyal Industries located in Knoxville, Tennessee.DeBusk was born and raised in Rose Hill, Virginia, where he graduated from Thomas Walker High School. After graduating from Lincoln Memorial University, DeBusk began his career in 1965 as a...
, founder and chairman of DeRoyal Industries - Chris Newsom, victim in a high-profile murder case
- Chad PenningtonChad PenningtonJames Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury...
, NFL quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... - Trevor BayneTrevor BayneTrevor Bayne is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series race car driver. He drives the No. 21 Motorcraft/QuickLane Ford Fusion for Wood Brothers Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, and the No. 16 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing in the Nationwide Series.Bayne began his racing...
, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series racer.
Further reading
- Cocca, Carolyn, Coordinator. A History of Halls. (Information compiled by the Halls Business and Professional Club). Halls Business and Professional Club, 1985.