Community profile: Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, is country quiet, but close to the city

Destiny, left, and Mikayla Lewis look at at a 1949 Plymouth Deluxe four-door sedan the Fourth of July festivities at North Park across from Soddy Lake in Soddy-Daisy.
Destiny, left, and Mikayla Lewis look at at a 1949 Plymouth Deluxe four-door sedan the Fourth of July festivities at North Park across from Soddy Lake in Soddy-Daisy.

Location: Northern Hamilton County, about 18 miles from downtown Chattanooga

Size: Soddy-Daisy encompasses 18 square miles along Dayton Pike and U.S. Highway 27

Population: 12,930

Date founded: April 1969

History: The origin of Soddy-Daisy's name is not certain. Soddy likely comes from the Welsh corruption of William Sodder's Trading Post to "Soddy," while Daisy comes from Daisy Parks, daughter of the Tabler-Clendys Coal Co.'s Thomas Parks, who was vice president of the company in the 1930s.

Government: City Manager Janice Cagle runs the town under supervision by Mayor Rick Nunley, Vice Mayor Patti Skates and commissioners Jim Adams, Gene Shipley and Robert Cothran.

Schools: Soddy-Daisy and Sequoyah high schools, Soddy-Daisy Middle, Allen, Daisy and Soddy elementaries, Daisy Headstart, Ivy Academy

Median household income: $44,599

Landmarks: Chickamauga Creek natural area

Unique characteristics: With boating, fishing, swimming and water skiing, nearby Chickamauga Lake attracts vacationers from all over.

Unique traditions: Every Fourth of July, Soddy-Daisy hosts a fire muster in which firefighters compete in a series of fire and rescue events before a celebration at the lake.

Best-kept secret: With one of the lowest cost-of-living indexes in America and one of the country's lowest crime rates, Soddy-Daisy can be an attractive place for those looking for a country lifestyle while living only 15 minutes from downtown Chattanooga.

Fun fact: The first Hamilton County Commission meeting was held in Soddy-Daisy at Poe's Tavern. The tavern also served as the first county courthouse.

Quote: "It's our mountains and our lakes, just the beauty of our community. We're so close to the larger community of Chattanooga, but we still kind of feel rural. It's a hometown-type attitude."

-- Janice Cagle, city manager

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