Tucked quietly into the rolling hills of the Great Smoky Mountains sits a home that time seems to have forgotten. Built in the late 1960s and left untouched since the passing of its last owner a decade ago, this ranch-style home stands as a perfectly preserved snapshot of another era. From the outside, the house blends naturally into its surroundings. The long, single-story ranch design, stone façade, and covered carport speak of practical 1960s architecture.
The last owners were married in the 1950s, beginning their life together in an era defined by optimism and post-war promise. The husband, a U.S. Air Force veteran and college graduate, carried his service with him into civilian life, eventually settling here in the Smoky Mountains with his wife. Together, they raised two children within these walls who likely played across the mustard-yellow carpet, gathered around the kitchen table for dinner, and grew up beneath the warm glow of wood-paneled rooms.
The husband passed away in the late 1980s, leaving behind the home they had built together. The children grew up, moved out, and began their own lives elsewhere. His wife remained, surrounded by decades of memories of their marriage, their children’s childhoods, the quiet routines of everyday life. When she passed away years later, the house was left just as it was. There are no signs of renovation, no modern updates layered over its character. Instead, the house stands as a personal museum of one family’s life. In a world where homes are constantly remodeled and reimagined, this one remains untouched, a rare time capsule hidden among the Smoky Mountain hills.
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This is crazy, but this house looks a lot like the house my grandparents owned outside of Buffalo, New York when I was a kid.
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So sad. Such a shame. I love the kitchen though. The cabinets are beautiful. My house was built in the 60’s but not as nice as this one. Reminds me of my in-laws house.
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Fascinating! It strikes me as a shrine to the children with their items on the beds. Neat and clean. She must have become ill and couldn’t return home. I wonder what happened that the property wasn’t sold.
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Who is paying the taxes I wonder
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I was curious about that too. Two adult children are living, one across the U.S., the other only a few towns over. The one living in-state is paying the taxes.
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Theres a small house on my road like that in Harmony NC built in 1960, its a tiny white wooden one with a double carport. The wife worked with my mom in the school lunchroom & their daughter was a TA & drove our bus. Their son lived on the previous road I lived on and a granddaughter works for the county I do. They just mow the grass and left the late 90s honda accord under the carport. The son took the dads old tiny truck with camper top & parked it in his driveway, rarely using it. The husband died some time ago and I found out she was in a home, but died in 2021. Being a real estate assessor & Type A planner I can’t fathom a family that wouldnt want to clean out the place & have a family member rent it or sell it so they can benefit during their life time. I hate seeing buildings left to rot & eventually people or nature will break windows/doors/roofs and it will end up littering all over.
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This is one of the greatest true time capsule ones to date. Bravo on this find!
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These are the most loveliest pictures I’ve seen in a long time. You sir have done an awesome job with the pictures of this lovely mountain home. I’m sure the two adult kids currently owns it now and does not wish to sell or live in it. Keep as a shrine of their parents and the great memories. Truly a beautiful home. So open and breathtaking, surrounded by privacy and the mountain air.
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Thank you! I appreciate it.
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It’s nice that teens didn’t break in and trash the place…There must be clusters of unoccupied houses like this…How do we find them? I suspect their adult children don’t have the heart to get rid of 50 years of their parent’s belongings…
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I know it is hard to go through parents things but it has to be done. I had to fly to Germany and take care of my mothers apartment. Had to separate what needed to go to recycle and what I wanted shipped. I was all by myself. It was hard. The taxi driver that drove me to my moms house from the airport checked in with me a few times while I was there. Even brought me a ladder to take down her curtains. He brought me food a few times too. I just ate the food she had in the house (canned and boxed good, coffee and tea etc). I even had a few beers to give to the moving company guys. LOL
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