KNOXVILLE, Tenn — Open house tours have officially begun for people hoping to one day own the historic Eugenia Williams House.
The 10,800-square-foot house off Lyons View Pike in West Knoxville was built in 1940 for Coca-Cola fortune heiress, Eugenia Williams.
When she died in February 1998, Williams left the 24-acre property on the Tennessee River to the University of Tennessee with the condition that it would be used to benefit the school and would honor her father.
Decades of disputes and unfulfilled plans left the house empty and exposed to the elements.
In April 2019, the university decided to seek approval to sell the property with promises of using the funds from the sale for student scholarships, satisfying the condition of her will.
April 2019: UT wants to sell the Eugenia Williams House
The sale was officially approved in late July.
Photos: Inside the Eugenia Williams House
UT, working with the State of Tennessee Real Estate Asset Management (STREAM) office, started requesting sealed bids for the purchase of the property.
August 2019: UT requesting bids for Eugenia Williams House property, open houses scheduled for September
The first open house was held on Sept. 5.
There will be one other tour offered on Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and interested buyers must schedule an appointment by calling the STREAM office at (844) 660-8100.
The state will accept sealed bids until 2:30 p.m. EST on Sept. 26.
For more information about the open house tours or the property, visit the UT Transparency site.
