Millennium Manor facts for kids

Millennium Manor is a very special house located in Alcoa, Tennessee. It was built between June 1937 and December 1946 by William Andrew Nicholson and his wife, Fair. They moved to Alcoa from Georgia, where William worked as a builder and carpenter. In 1937, he got a job at the Alcoa plant. Mr. Nicholson started building Millennium Manor when he was 61 years old, while still working full-time.

The Nicholsons designed their house using old Roman building methods. They wanted Millennium Manor to last for hundreds of years. They even believed it would survive a major event they thought would happen in 1969. In 2020, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.

Building a Super Strong House

The Nicholsons did all the construction work themselves. They did not use any machines, which was amazing because they were both small people. The Nicholsons were very religious. They believed the house needed to be strong enough to last for a thousand years.

How They Built It

Millennium Manor was built to be incredibly strong, like ancient Roman buildings that are still standing today. The house uses light-colored stone called Tennessee Pink Marble. This stone came from nearby Friendsville, Tennessee. You can see arches and special "keystone" pieces above the doors and windows. These arches and keystones are used throughout the entire house, even in the floors and roof.

First, they built a wooden shape that looked like the inside of the house. Then, they put a rubber sheet over this shape. Stones were stacked on top of the rubber sheet. A keystone was then put into place. At this point, the wooden shape could have been removed, and the roof would still stand on its own! After that, cement was poured over the stacked marble. The cement went through to the rubber sheet and hardened. You can still see wrinkles from the rubber sheet on the inside ceilings. Once the cement was dry, the wooden shape was taken out. This finished that part of the roof or floor.

Amazing Strength and Size

The Nicholsons used over 4,000 bags of cement to build the house. Some parts even used a special lime instead of sand to stop water from getting in. The thinnest inside wall is about 19 inches (48 centimeters) thick. The thinnest outside wall is about 25 inches (64 centimeters) thick. The roof is more than 3 feet (0.9 meters) thick, and the floor is more than 4 feet (1.2 meters) thick. The roof alone is said to weigh 423 tons! All the walls help support the weight of the house.

The house has 14 rooms and an underground garage for two cars. The total space under the roof is about 3,000 square feet (279 square meters). The upstairs has 7 chimneys. There is also a very deep well, about 5 feet (1.5 meters) wide and six stories deep. In 1943, the road outside the house was made wider. William Nicholson had to tear down the front wall of the house. He quickly rebuilt it about 6 feet (1.8 meters) further back. The house sits on about one acre of land. There was also a small white "kit home" next to the main house. The Nicholsons lived there while they built Millennium Manor. Later, this small house was moved to a different spot on the property.

What Happened Next

In 1950, Fair Nicholson passed away at age 72. She and William had been married for over 50 years. William Nicholson continued to live in the house. Fifteen years later, in 1965, William died at age 88. He was buried next to his wife.

The Nicholsons had 10 children, but none of them moved into the stone house after William's death. Sadly, people broke in and stole or damaged many things inside. Later, a woman named Juanita Shaw and her son bought the building. They used it as a meeting place for groups like the "Odd Fellows" and even as a "Haunted House" for the "Jaycees" sometimes. On February 21, 1995, Dean Fontaine bought Millennium Manor at an auction for $39,000.

The House Today

Dean Fontaine is still working on fixing up the house. He does all the work himself when he is not working as a firefighter and paramedic. He has many projects planned, like rebuilding a gazebo.

Millennium Manor is a private home. However, every year on Memorial Day, Dean Fontaine holds an "Open House" tour. Sometimes, you might even be able to rent parts of the house, if the owner agrees.