Sharp's Ridge facts for kids
Sharp's Ridge is a tall, rocky hill in Knoxville, Tennessee. It's located just north of the city center. A big part of the ridge, about 111 acres (45 ha), is a special place called Sharp's Ridge Memorial Park. This park honors local war veterans. The ridge is also home to many tall towers that send out radio and TV signals for most of Knoxville's stations. The highest spot on the ridge is an old fire tower, standing at 1,391 feet (424 m) above sea level. The ridge itself rises about 200 to 300 feet (61 to 91 m) above the land around it. This gives amazing views of the Great Smoky Mountains to the east and the Cumberland Plateau to the west.
Sharp's Ridge got its name from the Sharpe family. They lived on the ridge a long time ago, in the 1800s.
Contents
Where is Sharp's Ridge?
Sharp's Ridge is a long, thin hill. It stretches for about 7 miles (11 km) from Third Creek to Love Creek. This type of ridge is common in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians area. Beyond Love Creek, the ridge continues as McAnnally Ridge.
Some parts of Knoxville, like Inskip and Fountain City, are located along the northern side of the ridge. Other neighborhoods, such as Lonsdale, Lincoln Park, and Whittle Springs, are along its southern side.
Two creeks, First Creek and Second Creek, cut through Sharp's Ridge. These creeks create gaps in the ridge. Broadway (part of U.S. Route 441) crosses the First Creek gap. I-275 goes through the Second Creek gap. Interstate 640 runs next to the northern base of the ridge. The middle part of the ridge, between these two gaps, is the highest area. This is where Sharp's Ridge Memorial Park and the tall signal towers are found.
Sharp's Ridge Memorial Park
Sharp's Ridge Memorial Park covers 111 acres (45 ha) along the top and southern side of the ridge. You can get to the park by taking Sharp's Ridge Road, which is just off Broadway.
This park is a great spot for seeing different kinds of birds. The Knoxville chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society often comes here for birdwatching. The park also has places for picnics and several short walking paths.
What You Can See From the Park
On clear days, you can see amazing views from Sharp's Ridge. To the south, you can see the Great Smoky Mountains. Further northeast, you might spot the High Unaka Mountains, including the Bald Mountains. To the south, you can see the Southern Unaka Mountains, like the Unicoi Mountains. Many of these faraway peaks are part of the Cherokee National Forest. The Great Smokies are part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Looking north from Sharp's Ridge, you can see the Cumberland Escarpment. This is the edge of the Cumberland Plateau, which stretches from Alabama into Kentucky. You might see local peaks like Hinch Mountain near Crossville, Frozen Head above Petros, and Flag Pole Mountain near Rocky Top.
Towers and Signals
Sharp's Ridge is a major hub for broadcasting. Most of Knoxville's TV stations send their signals from very noticeable towers here. These towers are grouped together in what's called an "antenna farm."
There are several tall towers on Sharp's Ridge. The tallest one is called "Spectracite Tower Knoxville." It sends out signals for radio station WUOT-FM and TV stations like WATE-DT and WBIR-DT. Another very tall tower is "Richland Towers Tower Lonsdale." It broadcasts for WVLT-TV and WKOP-TV.
Other towers on the ridge belong to different companies. They send out signals for various TV and radio stations. For example, the "South Central Communications Tower Knoxville" broadcasts for WJXB-FM radio.
Besides TV and radio, many other groups use these towers. City, county, and state government agencies use them for their communications. Cell phone companies also have antennas on the ridge to help your phones work.
What is an Antenna Farm?
The collection of broadcast towers on Sharp's Ridge is a great example of an "antenna farm." This is when many radio and TV stations put their towers close together. They usually choose the highest point near their city.
Other famous antenna farms in the United States include Holston Mountain in East Tennessee and Signal Mountain near Chattanooga, Tennessee. Even though these stations compete, they often share land or towers. This saves space, makes land easier to find, and lowers the cost of building on a mountain.
Some other well-known antenna farms are on Poor Mountain in Virginia, Red Mountain in Alabama, and Mount Wilson near Los Angeles. A very famous one was on the World Trade Center Tower One in New York City. After the September 11 attacks in 2001, those antennas moved to the Empire State Building.
