HOHENWALD, Tenn. (WTVF) — The people of Hohenwald, Tennessee, are what make this small town special. During a recent visit to the Lewis County community, residents consistently pointed to their neighbors as the city's greatest asset.
"Our number one asset are the people in this city. I mean, they're so friendly, so welcoming. They're just great people," one resident said.
At The Junk Yard Dog Steakhouse, locals shared what they love about their hometown and what concerns them as the area grows.
"My hometown is very personal to me," one person said.
Another resident praised the community's peaceful atmosphere.
"The small town is wonderful and it's great for people to get away," they said.
But with growth comes challenges. Some longtime residents worry about preserving land for future generations.
"People coming in and maybe buying up of all the land we want to stop our land to pass on to our kids and stuff," one resident said.
Mayor Danny McKnight acknowledges these concerns and says city leaders are working to address the rapid growth that has caught many by surprise.
"When I first came into office, they told us, well, the urban sprawl is coming and it'll be here in the next five or 10 years. Well, in two years it was here," McKnight said.
The mayor says infrastructure improvements are a priority, noting that much of the city's current systems date back decades.
"Somebody has to get everything that plans, gotta get all this laid out and especially, all us and all the surrounding cities and towns around us, our infrastructure, a lot of us put in the 30s and the 40s, and probably the newest was in the 50s. And it's hard to stay in front of it," McKnight said.
To support long-term residents and newcomers alike, the city is focusing on economic development. Helen Ozier, the city's Economic & Community Development Coordinator, says the strategy emphasizes quality over quantity when it comes to job creation.
"When you get to the Lewis counties and the Wayne counties, 15 jobs, 15 good jobs is great," Ozier said. "So my personal philosophy is I would rather have five businesses, industries that employ 10 people rather than one that employ 50."
This approach stems from lessons learned during a difficult period when the city's largest employer, Dana Corporation, closed its doors.
"So when they closed their doors, it was not only devastating financially but emotionally. Mentally it was devastating. It was a really dark time here," Ozier said.
Today, city leaders are working to ensure sustainable growth while preserving Hohenwald's character. The mayor believes the community's welcoming nature helps new residents integrate successfully.
"If people are moving farther out and coming out here to a more rural area, smaller town, well, it's to slow the pace, to raise kids, maybe get a little more property," McKnight said. "I was born and raised here. And that's the way it was when I was a kid."
McKnight says newcomers seem to fit right into the community fabric.
"I've also noticed the people that are moving here, they seem to fit right in. They're good people. And I think one of the reasons they do fit in is because the people here at Hohenwald make them feel so welcome," he said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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