Sometimes taking a break is the perfect tool for rejuvenation. We can all benefit from a break, whether from work, stress, or just a change of scenery. Taking a break can sharpen our minds, enhance our creativity, motivate us, and give us strength to cope with stress. A peaceful destination can be the perfect place to stop and take that break, and the Dowell Springs campus in Knoxville, Tennessee is just that!
A Cautionary Tale
Remember the story about the man who stopped to sharpen his axe? Two men were in a competition to see who could chop down the most trees in a day. One man was much larger and the people in the town were wagering that he would win, 20-1 as the favorite. The smaller man knew he needed a competitive advantage. He knew his tool would be that competitive advantage. When the competition started, both men began chopping fiercely against the clock. The difference was the smaller man stopped every hour to sharpen his axe. The sharper axe would give him better precision and efficiency. Spectators were in disbelief that he would stop and waste this precious time, assuming it meant the larger man would surely beat him. In the end, the smaller man won the competition by taking a break. Since his axe was sharpened every hour and could chop with more precision, he had the advantage of a better tool than the larger man using a duller axe.
Taking a break at Dowell Springs
Our minds are our tools for everything we do, and it’s important to nurture our minds, just as we do our bodies. Located just off Middlebrook Pike in Knoxville, Tennessee, the beautiful campus at Dowell Springs serves as host to hundreds of employees from a multitude of companies, ranging from medical providers and services to federal government. It is where Provision Healthcare is headquartered. In addition, the campus welcomes around 500 daily patient visitors, who come to Dowell Springs from all over the region. Beautifully landscaped grounds and water features replace the asphalt and concrete that’s typical in many business parks and downtown office buildings.
It would be easy to miss this prized treasure on the campus that takes you outdoors to a peaceful park-like setting. Nestled in the center of the campus, the one-mile walking trail, highlighted by beautiful waterfalls, is accessible and convenient from any building on the campus. The trail is paved with sunlight, shade, beautiful landscaping, benches to stop and rest, or lawn areas to bring a chair and a book, or a blanket for a picnic lunch. Let your senses enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of all the beautiful seasons, but especially the spring dogwood and redbud blooms. Or enjoy the colorful display of the fall foliage and the many small creatures that call the campus their home. The Dowell Springs Walking Trail has been featured in the Dogwood Arts Festival as a “commercial camera site,” open to the public to visit and enjoy its natural beauty.
Adjacent to the business park is the 1.7-acre site of the Lonas-Dowell house, a local historical landmark built in 1858 from brick molded out of Tennessee clay. Dowell Springs Business Park donated the adjacent Lonas-Dowell house property, one of the oldest historical and continuously occupied archaeological sites in Knox County, to Knox Heritage for restoration and preservation.
We encourage you to “take a break” wherever you are, and sharpen your axe! If you are in the Dowell Springs area, we invite you visit our magnificent walking trail and immerse yourself in the beauty of this beautiful area.