Seniors Discover Cookeville

Cookeville, with a population around 31,000, is the  seat of Putnam County and home to Tennessee Technological University, senior travelers to Tennessee learn.

The city was named in honor of Richard Fielding Cooke, a state senator. Many of the first settlers in what would become Putnam County came from Virginia and North Carolina via the Walton Road in the late 1700’s and the early 1800’s.

Most of these settlers were of English and Scotch-Irish descent.  Putnam County was named in honor of Israel Putnam, a general in the Revolutionary Army.

Seniors Find “Land of Lakes”

Known as the “Hub of the Upper Cumberlands,” approximately 25,000 people travel to Cookeville daily to work, shop, or attend school. Toss in your clubs and play a round or two at Cookeville Golf and Country Club or Belle Acres Golf Club. Cookeville hosts the Putnam County Fair every August, the Fall FunFest in September and an annual city fun for the Fourth of July.

Cookeville could be called “Land of Lakes” as there are three man-made lakes maintained by the Corps of Engineers located near Cookeville. They were created to help flood control in the narrow valleys of the Cumberland Plateau. Center Hill Lake, Cordell Hull Lake, and Dale Hollow Lake.

Two smaller man-made lakes, City Lake and Burgess Falls Lake, lie along the Falling Water River, which flows through the southeastern part of the county. Cane Creek Lake, created by an earthen dam built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, lies in the western part of Cookeville.

TripAdvisor has eighteen things for senior visitors to check out beginning with Cummins Falls State Park, the Cookeville Deport Museum and Dogwood Park.  Seniors, have you ever seen Dogwoods in full bloom?  They are awesome, colorful and beautifully scented.

Seniors Find Great Outdoors

Seniors who are looking for a great place to keep in shape, Cookeville’s a natural. You will find hills, trails, caves, lakes and streams, with surroundings that invite hikers, cavers, bikers, climbers, spelunkers and horseback enthousiasts.

Manufacturing is the largest sector in Cookeville’s economy with over 100 plants and 8,000 employees. In 2006 Oreck Manufacturing, the vacuum people, moved their Long Beach, Mississippi plant to Cookeville after Hurricane Katrina. Facebook suggests places to eat, stay, and shop.

Cookeville, simply said…is a “Great Place to Be!” The City Square at night is a great place for some memorable photos. The city is recognized as the largest micropolitan area in Tennessee, making the small community a vibrant hub of activity.

Seniors, Cookeville, the hub of the 14-county Upper Cumberland region, is surrounded by stunning scenery, from hills, rivers, and waterfalls. So enjoy all that this area has to offer. -jeb