In 1939 divorcee Eugenia Williams, heiress to her father’s fortune, commissioned the noted architect John Fanz Staub to design a spacious residence in the Regency Revival style, where she would live, mostly alone, for over 40 years. For decades the Eugenia Williams House has been hidden behind a high brick wall on Lyons View Pike, visible to passersby only for an instant through the locked gate.
Now, for the first time since the house was completed in 1941, the home of one of Knoxville’s most intensely private women will be available for public tours. The house and grounds have been meticulously restored to their original condition, offering a rare glimpse into the life and times of a woman who inspired both admiration and gossip, but remains mysterious to this day.
*This tour is geared to ages 15 and up. Participants will walk approximated 1/4 mile from the upper parking lot to the house. Portions of this historic building can be accessed only via stairs. Please call 865-309-4522 if you have any questions about joining the tour.
Tour Highlights
- Stories of the house, the grounds, visitors (invited and otherwise), and Eugenia’s mysterious life
- Living Room, with period art and the carefully restored mantelpiece of carved white marble
- Dining Room, sparkling with light from the crystal chandelier and large double-hung windows
- Kitchen and Butler’s Pantry, containing fascinating original appliances, counter tops, and finishing touches that made it state-of-the-art in 1941
- Eugenia’s bedroom and boudoir, revealing her life-long interest in fashion and pursuit of the very best jewelry, clothing, and furniture. Wait till you see these closets! *
- Flagstone terrace featuring French Colonial ironwork, facing the wooded river bluff.
- Plus the Library, Gallery, guest rooms, backstairs areas even Eugenia’s guests never saw, and more glimpses of pre-war luxury
* Second floor, accessible only by staircase
Tickets $25
