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The once-private estate of enigmatic heiress Eugenia Williams is now open to visitors.
By Joe Tennis / Photo Above: Eugenia Williams House. Photo courtesy of Bruce Cole
For much of a century, the Eugenia Williams House piqued the curiosity of residents around Knoxville, Tennessee. Now, the 10,800-square-foot residence on 24 acres is open for hikes and picnics, plus lectures on the first Wednesday of each month.
Like her home, Eugenia Williams “was a little bit of a mystery and always has been,” said house director Megan Robertson.
Born in 1900, Williams was a single woman who razed her daddy’s house on this site and built her dream home in 1941 with architect John Fnaz Staub. Flanked by the Tennessee River, both concrete and steel frame its center. “It’s brick with a very modern skeleton.”
And yet, “It’s a time capsule,” continued Robertson. “Nobody ever renovated it.”
Outside, the grounds transition from fancy to forest. “Williams removed all the productive gardens and put in this great rolling lawn,” Robertson said. “The wild garden aesthetics on the back half of the property really feel like woodland. We have rustic trails with stone steps, a millstone garden, and a native cane patch.”
Described as “intensely private” and “fairly mysterious” by Robertson, Williams left behind few clues about her life beyond her status as a Coca-Cola heiress and “savvy investor.”
Williams lived in the house until 1983. Following her death in 1998, the place was acquired by the University of Tennessee. The Aslan Foundation purchased the property in 2020 and reopened the house in April 2026.
The grounds are open regularly, though the house is accessible only during scheduled events. “Anybody can drop in to see the grounds on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays,” said Robertson, “but if you want to get inside the house, you have to do a little bit of planning.”
The story above first appeared in our September/October 2026 issue.
