KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Story courtesy of WVLT) – Set high above the Tennessee River, the Eugenia Williams House is one of Knoxville’s most distinctive historic residences.
The house was built in 1941 by John Fanz Staub for heiress Eugenia Williams. It was a private residence until Williams’s death in 1998, when she left the house to the University of Tennessee in her will.
She hoped to honor her father by having the property serve as the university president’s home, but it remained unoccupied until 2019, when UT put the house up for auction. The Aslan Foundation purchased the property in 2020 and began a six-year restoration of the house and its surrounding landscape.
Now, the Eugenia Williams House is preparing to reopen as a site for guided tours, cultural programming and public enjoyment of its historic park-like Grounds, which are home to more than 50 species of trees and serve as an accredited arboretum.
Beginning March 19, the Eugenia Williams House will enter a soft opening phase. During operating hours, visitors will be able to tour the house and see the 24-acre property, including its expansive front lawn, historic stone paths and wooded walking trails.
- March 19–21: Grounds open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for picnics, walks, and quiet reflection. Ticketed 75-minute House tours offered Thursday and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; House tour reservations are required.
- March 26–28: Grounds are again open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Ticketed 75-minute House tours offered Thursday and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; House tour reservations are required.
- March 29-April 10: The property will be closed to ensure the House and Grounds are fully prepared for the grand opening.
The house officially opens to the public with a grand opening celebration on Saturday, April 11 at 10 a.m.
