This Long-Abandoned Tennessee Historic Home Is Making A Comeback
By Chris Dodge|Published April 15, 2024
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Chris Dodge
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My name is Chris Dodge and I live right here in the great state of Tennessee. My family and I are full adventurers filled with passion to see the amazing things our state has to offer. We are avid hikers and have explored many different places in Tennessee and beyond but we are always thankful to be living in such a glorious state.
The good people of the Volunteer State know how to take a long-lost abandoned place in Tennessee and restore it to its former glory. Taking old things and making them new is a specialty of us Tennesseans. Our state is filled with examples of this; take the Eugenia Williams House in Knoxville, where something left for decay is being transformed and given new life. Today let’s look at the comeback story of the Stonecipher-Kelly House, a long-forgotten home that is considered one of the oldest homesteads in Tennessee.
The Stonecipher-Kelly House sits in the shadows of the rugged mountains of Frozen Head State Park. The misty peaks and stark mountaintop terrain make this a park perfectly suited for grizzled adventurers.
This is also the same harsh territory that the state found to be a great location for hardened criminals. The Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary once operated in this difficult environment. The site is abandoned now, but is used for tours to learn more about the history of this dark place.
However before the state park and the prison, at the foot of these mountains, you can find one of the oldest homes in all of Tennessee. Despite the difficult terrain, the Stonecipher-Kelly family did pretty well for themselves. The home was erected in 1814 and was built so well that the structure still stands to this very day.
The Stonecipher and Kelly families were joined through marriage and many generations were born, grew up, and lived full lives on this very property. After the last occupants were too elderly to care for the property it looked like the home was going to just be left for ruins -- but the state park system bought it and is now under the management of the Frozen Head State Park.
The process for collecting both the funds and the meticulous labor has now started and restoration is underway. The goal is to restore the structure and keep as much of the original intact as possible, which is no easy task on a building that is over 200 years old. Many personal belongings and historical pieces remain in the home so the story of this early Tennesseean family will live on for many years to come.
During the restoration process, the building is closed to the public; however, the park does offer tours of the home regularly. Make sure to check the events calendar to see when the next tour will take place.
While you are in the area I would highly recommend getting the AllTrails app and tracking your process on an epic hike through these intense mountains. There is a lot of history and beauty found in these woods, beckoning you to lace up those hiking boots and start exploring.
This abandoned place in Tennessee is getting new life and is well worth a visit. A trip through time in a place filled with untouched natural beauty and just down the road from an abandoned state prison is an adventurous journey just waiting to be taken. If you are looking to view the Stonecipher-Kelly House in Tennessee, please visit the event page on the Frozen Head State Park website.
When you go, don’t forget to get the AllTrails app — my number one hiking tool!
And if you love restored and abandoned places then the ghost town in the Great Smoky Mountains known as Elkmont is the place for you to explore next.
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