Alcoa, Tennessee - Millennium Manor

Castle fortress - new and improved! Now with artillery! [Fontaine, 08/03/2009]

My wife and I visited Millennium Manor on Sept. 25, 2004. At first it seemed we were going to have to view the house from the street, but to our surprise the owner, Dean Fontaine, showed up. He was in a hurry to take his son to Chattanooga, but told us feel free to look around the property. He filled us in on a little information on the house, and gave us a flyer describing the house's creation and history. The house was to be condemned and tore down, but Mr. Fontaine bought it, and took on the challenge of restoring it. [Gary D. Hare, 12/08/2004]

This fortress of a home is being restored by Knoxville City fireman Dean Fontaine, who also lives in the Manor. He acquired it after it sat vacant and abused for 25 years. The structure is unique and nearly impregnable -- the roof alone weighs over 400 tons. It's another example of dementia concretia, but an impressive one. Mr. Fontaine is amiable and hospitable; he's accompanied in his restoration work by Millie, the Manor's cat (who's also amiable). He's trying to get the home on the National Historic Register, but Federal red tape is slowing the process. Go see it, and donate to the restoration effort! [Charles Weaver, 10/17/2004]

[RA: Millennium Manor, constructed to weather "Armageddon and a thousand years beyond," was the brainchild of William Andrew Nicholson, who began to build it in 1938 when he was 61. He lived in it with his wife, Fair, and died in 1965. In 1995, Millennium Manor was purchased at an auction for $3,900 by Fontaine, who is now restoring the home.]

An all-stone castle built in 1938 by William A. Nicholson for the express purpose of surviving Armageddon. He believed that the end-times were upon us and he would live here for 1,000 years after the 2nd coming of Christ. It's all marble with a roof 3 feet thick and floors more than 4 feet thick. W.A. died in 1965 and it was abandoned. In the late '70s on through '86 it was open on Halloween as a haunted house by the Jaycees. Now being repaired. Nice collection of armour and medieval stuff is getting put together inside. Donations accepted, but no charge to go in and look around. Not open on any kind of regular schedule. [Dean Fontaine, 12/20/2000]