Last week we explored the Timberlake area, a secluded enclave of modernism tucked just below the Tennessee River. However, there is one mid-century house from that area that I left off out of the blog. The oversight was intentional, don’t worry. I wanted to talk about the three modernist houses designed in East Tennessee by Herbert Millkey Sr, and I wanted to do it all at once.
Millkey was an Atlanta-based architect who studied architecture at the University of Cincinnati (BA), and at Yale University (M.Arch). There he had his was a principal in two firms (Moscowitz, Willner & Millkey and Millkey & Associates) and was a regional director at the AIA. On an interesting side note, his son, Herbert Millkey Jr was also an architect. Junioer co-founded the one of the first interracial architecture firms in Georgia (called, cheekily, Millkey & Brown).
Ok. Back to Senior! Herbert Millkey Sr’s practice was mostly focused on commercial architecture, with the two notable exceptions. The first was a house he designed for cartoonist Ed Dodd in Atlanta, Georgia.
The other notable exception to Herbert Millkey Sr’s commercial heavy practice was his own residence in Nancy Creek, Georgia (now demolished).
But enough about Georgia. Let’s dive into the Tennessee connection, shall we?
Structure: Robert Fiddler House
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Architect: Herbert Millkey Sr.
Date: 1956
Tidbit: Mr. Fiddler worked at Rich’s, which was headquartered in Atlanta. He and hsi wife fell in love with mid-century modern style architecture after seeing Mr. Millkey’s personal residence featured in a magazine. Unfortunately, the Fiiddler house was eventually remodeled into oblivion (turned into a McMansion).
Structure: Frederick Fisher House
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Architect: Herbert Millkey Sr.
Date: 1957
Structure: William Way House
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Architect: Herbert Millkey Sr.
Date: 1955
Story: Now we come to the part of the story left out of the Timberlake blog. The house was designed for William Way, the head of the Transportation Department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Unfortunately for the Ways, William died of a heart attack a year after the house was built.
Over time, new owners added on + remodeled the house, while still retaining a lot of its original character.
thornton28
I was the college roommate of Herbert, Sr.’s son Mark and had a the privilege of staying in their home a few times. It was at 3474 Nancy Creek Road in NW Atlanta. In those days I had never thought about architecture for two seconds in my life, but I felt, without thinking about it, that the home was light-filled, airy, clean-lined, open, handsome, warm-feeling and welcoming. It was a fine house that truly exhibited the best elements of mid-century modern design. It’s since been replaced by a McMansion, which is a loss.
Andrew Oxenham
Appreciate you sharing those fond memories. The original house (from the pictures I’ve seen in old books) was quite a mid-century marvel. It’s too bad that progress/modernity had to bulldoze such a lovely structure!