The name Ooltewah is derived from a Cherokee Native American word meaning “owl’s nest.” An ambitious downtown redevelopment initiative, just completed with public and private support, has brought a lot of life back into the downtown area, both as a commercial and recreation destination. The Ooltewah zip code is the site of Ooltewah High School, East Hamilton Middle/High School, Ooltewah Middle School, Hunter Middle School, Ooltewah Elementary School, Snow Hill Elementary School, Wolftever Creek Elementary School, and Wallace A. Smith Elementary School. Home appreciation is up 5.5% in the last 12 months. It’s a good time to buy in Ooltewah.