Millennium Manor Castle — Attraction in Alcoa

I stopped at the Millenium Manor while on a road trip, hoping to get a glimpse at an interesting historical site. The owner and his wife were very friendly and let us come in for a spur of the moment tour. I knew a bit about the manor already but was excited to learn more about the history. Unfortunately, only about 20 minutes of my tour was spent talking about the history of the Manor and how it was built by Mr. Nicholson. The rest of the tour (which was over an hour long) mostly consisted of one of the owners of the property telling us, in great detail, her plans for the upcoming renovation. The information, while interesting, wasn’t really what I wanted to learn about while on my tour. It was also a bit heartbreaking to hear some of their plans. I was under the impression that they were restoring the castle, but it seems as though they are renovating it and turning it into a venue for weddings and other events. Much of the original castle is being changed/added onto and not a lot of the original design is being kept. For example, a bedroom (I think) is now being turned into a kitchen and what used to be the kitchen is being turned into a bathroom. I like to think the new owners had a good reason for making so many changes, but it was sad to see how much of the original castle will be altered, beyond what is needed for restoration. One of the rooms in the basement has even had a TV installed into it and has been turned into what looks like an entertainment room. There were many interesting trinkets and displays inside the castle but most of them did not have anything to do with the castle itself or the time period it was built in, making the manor feel more like a novelty than a historical site. These displays and collectibles took up most of the interior of the manor and only a small portion (basically one 3’x3’ frame) was actually dedicated to information about the manor and Mr. Nicholson himself. Perhaps I should have done more research before stopping by the manor to see what the tour would really be about. If you’re interested in learning about what the owners are planning to do with the renovations, then this is definitely a good stop. But if you want to learn about the past and see a piece of history being preserved, then I suggest...

First thing: it's not a castle. It is basically a stone fallout shelter made by a member of a cult to protect himself from the apocalypse. The real story would have been great if they went with that instead of trying to make it a castle from the renaissance. OR, go all in into the renaissance theme and make something that has nothing to do with the actual history of the place. Right now, it's just a huge mish mosh of... stuff... that goes from inaccurate historical things to 1940s cult member to modern day owner's stuff. And why... why!?!... would they take the most important room in the bunker, whether they went cult or castle, the throne room (no lie, an actual throne!!!) and throw a lot of stuff in there and use it as a storage room? I looked in there, and I couldn't see anything of the throne. Why would they miss out on an opportunity that would interest visitors whether it be on a religious level, a tourist level, or a 'take a selfie' level? Although the tour guide was energetic, sweet and fun, she didn't have all the knowledge that a tour guide should have. That's not her fault. A script should have been written for her with all accurate details and information that didn't make you wonder if she was just making it up as she went along. When we left, all I could think was that it so wasn't worth the $15 a person...

This tour exceeded my expectations! The story behind the castle is fascinating, and the fact that it was built in his 60s with the help of his wife is truly mind-blowing. The owners have poured their heart and soul into restoring this place, and created a wonderful collection of medieval-themed items you can see, touch, and learn about.

I brought my 8-year-old son, and it was an unforgettable experience for him. I also appreciated hearing the owners’ vision for the future—it’s inspiring to see how much more this place can offer. I’m grateful for the work they’ve done to preserve and share what might otherwise...