Cedar Bluff is like its sister neighborhood West Hills in a lot of ways. Both are in West Knoxville and close to, well, pretty much everything. Both have great shopping and are easily accessible. Both can be a little on the crowded side at times, particularly during certain hours of the day. But it would be bluffing not to tell you that Cedar Bluff has a feel all its own.
Cedar Bluff is west of West Hills, east of Farragut, north of Bluegrass and south of Karns. Hardin Valley is also nearby to the northwest.
The neighborhood is surrounded by major roads and thoroughfares. Cedar Bluff is circled by Kingston Pike, Middlebrook Pike and Lovell Road. Between them you can get just about anywhere in Knoxville without getting on the interstate, although during peak travel times you’d do well to put your car in park and walk. Pellissippi Parkway is also minutes away, which will get you going toward Oak Ridge or the airport, Maryville and the Great Smoky Mountains. If you prefer the freeway, Interstate 40/75 passes right by, ready to take you downtown or to Farragut.
Cedar Bluff is unique in that it seems to collect a lot of non-Knoxvillians. That may be because it is so close to all those highways and byways. It’s only 10-15 minutes west by car that Interstates 40 and 75 split, with I-40 making its way west to Nashville while I-75 stretches itself out for Chattanooga and Atlanta. Anyone traveling through Tennessee by car on their way further north, east or southeast is going to drive right through this area. That makes this a good place to stop for the night if you’re a weary traveler, and a good place to find a hotel room. It’s also a great home base for a weekend of University of Tennessee football and shopping at nearby Turkey Creek.
Cedar Bluff has plenty of shopping in its own right. The North Peters Road area is home to several restaurants, some of them top notch. There are also plenty of big-box stores and small boutiques to compete for your interest — and your money.
The nearby presence of those hotels might also explain the unique selection of nighttime entertainment, which caters in part to travelers. Nearby clubs include the Prince Deli and Sports Bar, which features live bands and karaoke; Cotton Eyed Joe, a popular dance spot with everything from a mechanical bull to country music concerts to bikini contests; and Comedy Zone, a comedy club that features lots of regionally and nationally renowned acts. There’s other entertainment nearby as well, but we’ll keep this PG-rated, thanks.
Also in the Cedar Bluff area is Baker Peters Jazz Club. Besides being a restaurant and comfortable place to hear jazz music, the home is a historical relic. It might also be haunted. The house was once the residence of Dr. James Harvey Baker, a well-known 19th-century physician. In 1864 Baker was in the home treating wounded Confederate soldiers. Union soldiers burst inside and shot Dr. Baker through a secured bedroom door, which today still bears the bullet scars. After the war, Dr. Baker’s son Abner returned home and attempted to avenge his father’s death. After shooting and killing postmaster William Hall, who allegedly informed Union troops of the doctor’s actions, Abner was himself ambushed and killed. Locals say Abner’s unhappy spirit remains in the home to this day.
Cedar Bluff isn’t just for travelers and angry spirits, though. People do live in the area, too. Subdivisions include Churchill Downs and Crestwood Forest-Hidden Valley. These residential areas are proof that, though Cedar Bluff is close to plenty of strip-mall shopping, there are still plenty of trees and open fields, too. Residents are close to local public schools, as well as to private schools like Knoxville Catholic High School and Christian Academy of Knoxville. Dead Horse Lake Golf Course, with its Par 72 course and its rolling landscapes, also is in the neighborhood.
