Mabry Hazen House

I saw this house advertised in a «historic houses» section of a Knoxville tourism guide and decided to visit. I plugged the address into my GPS. The house is not clearly marked from the road so I went past it the first time and had to turn around. From the description in the newsletter, I expected a huge mansion. It was really more like a middle class sized house by today’s standards but I suppose by antebellum standards when a lot of people still lived in log cabins, this was a fine house. I enjoyed the story of the family, especially the last woman who owned the house. What a character.
So why minus a star? I was confused when I arrived. There was a sign out on the front porch saying they’d be back soon. I was like uhm??? Apparently the tour guide fellow who is also the historian and caretaker was in another building directing workers doing reconstruction work. I feel like they need a better sign by the road and I feel like they need extra help. The tour itself was lovely. I recommend visiting but I also recommend being patient for what is clearly a small operation driven by love of historic preservation.
There is a ten dollar admission fee for a tour. I would not take small children as there are too many breakable items and uneven steps.

The Mabry-​Hazen House is a cute little piece of history to visit in Knoxville, free of charge, easy to reach, and fun to explore.
The house sits atop a high hill around the edge of downtown Knoxville. It has a large parking lot so it’s easy to find a place to leave your vehicle. The paved sidewalks leading up to and around the house make it an easy walk for people with disabilities, however there is not an elevator inside this historic house to you can’t explore much by wheelchair. This is also the site of beautiful decorations during the Christmas holiday season.
The staff was really friendly the day I visited in December. One of the ladies, who was dressed in period attire except for the digital camera she carried with her, was happy to tell me the interesting story behind how the house became a historical centerpiece of the city. I won’t tell you the story here, however; you need to visit this place for yourself and inquire. It is really a great story!
The home is cozy, with several rooms on two and a half levels to explore. A lot of the furniture is original with replicas and period specific pieces here and there. It’s a nice place to spend an hour or two, so if you happen to be visiting the city be sure to head up here.
TIP: Check out their website ahead of time to see what events are coming up. They have several special events throughout the year.