The Unique Castle In Alcoa Is The Only One Of Its Kind In Tennessee
By Meghan Kraft|Published January 26, 2022
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Meghan Kraft
Author
Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a degree in English, and has worked in the digital marketing realm with companies such as Apartments.com, USA Today and HarperCollins Publishing.
If you find yourself driving through the state of Tennessee you’re probably going to be looking for music venues and beautiful valleys and mountainous vistas, but you may be surprised to learn that there is a stone castle that was constructed to withstand the tumult at the end of the world. It sounds wild, but it’s true, and you can find the Millenium Manor Castle located in Alcoa, Tennessee.
If you ever find yourself in Alcoa, Tennessee, you may be surprised to learn that there is a solid stone castle in the vicinity. Known as the Millenium Manor, the Roman-inspired structure was built in the mid-20th century to withstand Armageddon.
William Andrew Nicholson and his wife, Fair, moved to Tennessee from Pickens County, Georgia. William worked as a mason and carpenter, and after clinching a job in Alcoa at the local plant he began to construct the Manor with the help of his wife. The highly religious couple believed Armageddon would occur in 1969 and began construction on the castle in 1937.
The Nicholsons worked away at the Millenium Manor from 1947 to 1946, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020. You'll find that the stone used was pink marble sourced from Friendsville, Tennessee, which adds a fascinating sheen to the structure.
More than 4,000 bags of cement were used in the construction, and the roof is rumored to weigh a hefty 423 tons. There are 14 rooms throughout and a two-car underground garage. With 7 chimney flues and a six-story-deep well, the castle measures in at 3,000 square feet. The manor was constructed to last 1,000 years, and it just might make it.
William did the majority of the work on his own, which is even more impressive when you consider the fact he began construction at 61 years old. Though they had many children, none of the Nicholsons came to own the property after William's death. Instead, a woman named Juanita Shaw purchased the house and used it as a haunted house.
The property was later abandoned and became a homing beacon for vandals and teens looking for trouble. Juanita ended up selling the house in 1995, and it has been privately owned ever since.
Can you believe that this wild home exists in Tennessee? It almost doesn't feel real. Although the home is privately owned, each Memorial Day the current owner hosts an open house. You can also contact the owners if you're looking to rent or view the property.
What a wild place to visit! We’re sure the stories you’ll tell when you get back from vacation will be second to none if this strange spot is on your list. Did you have any idea there was such a strange castle in Tennessee? Learn more about it here.
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