Nestled on the banks of the Pigeon River at the base of the Smoky Mountains is the settlement of Hartford in Cocke County, Tennessee. Strategically located between Knoxville, Tennessee, and Asheville, North Carolina, just off Interstate 40, Hartford is relatively undeveloped and offers an opportunity to create a special destination. Native Americans initially inhabited the area of Hartford in settlements scattered over the region. Founded in 1853 primarily as a lumber town, it became known as Pigeon Valley. In the early 1900s, Pigeon Valley was named “Hartford” in honor of John Hart, co-owner of the Tennessee & North Carolina Railroad. With the onset of the Great Depression in the 1930s, the timber market dried up, and Hartford would not recover until the construction of I-40 in the 1960s. Today, Hartford is primarily a refueling stop and whitewater rafting hub. A modular drip field wastewater system has been designed and engineered to support an entire business district. Construction costs were estimated at $2 million-$2.5 million with a six- to eight-month completion window. Due to the location, ease of access and relatively low current development, Hartford has an incredible development upside.