Why visit Powell
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 47 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Crown College, Airplane Service Station and Alexander Bishop House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Powell
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Powell
Powell, formerly known as Powell Station, is a census-designated place in Knox County, Tennessee. The area is located in the Emory Road corridor (State Route 131), just north of Knoxville, southeast of Clinton, and east of Oak Ridge. It had a population of 13,802 during the 2020 census. It is included in the Knoxville, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Powell, Tennessee (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Crown College
School · 0.9 mi
Baptist Bible college and seminary in Powell, Tennessee
Museums and landmarks3
Airplane Service Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Filling station in Knox County, Tennessee
Alexander Bishop House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Historic house in Tennessee, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes47
Ichiban Japanese Grill
Restaurant · Japanese · 2.2 mi
6737 Clinton Highway, Knoxville
Tu-Th 11:00-21:30;Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00;Su 12:00-21:00
McAlister's Deli
Restaurant · Sandwich · 2.3 mi
2758 Schaad Road, Knoxville
Su-Fr 10:30-21:00; Sa 10:30-19:00
Texas Roadhouse
Restaurant · Steak House · 1.9 mi
7559 Conner Road
Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
Zalate Taqueria
Restaurant · Mexican · 2.2 mi
102 Stekoia Lane, Knoxville
Tu-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 11:00-20:00
35 more on the map.
History
Despite its status as unincorporated, Powell is considered to be more of an "independent" small town than a suburb. One of the reasons behind this is that it was established in 1789 (two years before the establishment of Knoxville) by settlers passing through East Tennessee into the frontier. Among these early settlers was Stockley Donelson (1753–1804), a brother-in-law of President Andrew Jackson. Donelson's home, now known as the Alexander Bishop House, still stands on Bishop Lane. Another early settler was John Manifee, a Revolutionary War veteran who built a small fort and trading station along what is now Clinton Highway in the late 1780s.
The community's name is derived from the Powell Station train stop, which was in turn named for Columbus Powell, a prominent local resident. The train station is not currently in use but remains in the town's "downtown" area. The railroad was essential to economy of early 20th century Powell as bricks were made with the mud from Beaver Creek and loaded onto the tracks and sent to various locations. The tracks were originally part of the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railway (now part of the Norfolk Southern line).
From the History section of Powell, Tennessee on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Holiday Inn Express Knoxville-North
Motel and hotel · 2.1 mi
7520 Conner Road, Powell
Churches and places of worship16
Bell's Campground United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 1.6 mi
7915 Bell Campground Road, Powell
Mount Hermon United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 1.8 mi
235 East Copeland Drive, Powell
Powell United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 0.9 mi
323 West Emory Road, Powell
Shopping13
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries28
Dr. Paul L. Kelley Volunteer Academy
School · 5.7 mi
535 Chickamauga Avenue Ave, Knoxville
Healthcare5
Map of Powell
136 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 26°F | 5.2 in |
| Feb | 52°F | 29°F | 5.1 in |
| Mar | 61°F | 36°F | 5.3 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 44°F | 5.2 in |
| May | 78°F | 54°F | 4.5 in |
| Jun | 86°F | 62°F | 4.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 66°F | 5.8 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 65°F | 3.4 in |
| Sep | 83°F | 59°F | 4.1 in |
| Oct | 72°F | 46°F | 3.0 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 35°F | 4.1 in |
| Dec | 51°F | 30°F | 5.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Knoxville Exp Stn (10 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Knox County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-02-06: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-02: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2023-09-27: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-08: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) (TYS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- Knoxville 6 mi southeast, about 10 min by car
- Halls 6 mi northeast, about 10 min by car
- Karns 6 mi southwest, about 10 min by car
- Clinton 7 mi northwest, about 11 min by car
- Farragut 14 mi southwest, about 22 min by car
- Alcoa 16 mi south, about 25 min by car
- Maryville 20 mi south, about 32 min by car
- Lenoir City 21 mi southwest, about 33 min by car
- Morristown 42 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Athens 51 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Powell-RRtracks-tn1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- Airplane-service-station-knox-tn1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- Bishop-ln-house-tn1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.