A SHORT HISTORY OF FOOTHILLS POINTE
ON TELLICO LAKE
On November 29, 1979, almost 19 years after the Tennessee Valley Authority proposed putting a dam on the Little Tennessee River, the gates on Tellico Dam were closed, creating Tellico Lake.
Almost seven years later, Foothills Retirement Development, Inc. (FRDI) purchased the 110 acre peninsula on Tellico Lake in the Greenback Community known as Big Hill. The three partners, Bob Werle, Harry Rowland, and Tom Barr, then began pursuing their vision. The next month, they held dedication ceremonies for Foothills Village, later to be Foothills Pointe. They planned to take this beautiful land overlooking Bakers Creek and Tellico Lake from a dairy farm and horse breeding and riding operation to a small community nestled in the foothills.
The State of Tennessee chartered the Foothills Pointe Owners’ Association, Inc. (FPOA), on October 29, 1987, and the partners held their Grand Opening two days later. On January 18, 1988, the first lots were titled to their new owners. That day 15 families bought 24 lots. On August 23, 2022, the last Developer owned lot was sold.
In May 1988, the three villas, built by the Developers, were completed. A month later, the Clubhouse was available. Three months after that, the first single family home was finished by Bob Talent (on lot 45). Ten years after its inception, there were 49 homes in Foothills Pointe. At the 20-year point there were 94 homes, and now there are 138.
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