One of Macon County’s oldest homes is under new ownership, and those new owners are determined to maintain it as a testament to the area’s agricultural history.
The farmhouse at 424 Iotla Church Road is thought to have been built between 1870 and 1890, making it as much as 151 years old. It was initially built by Sam Ramsey and was later massively expanded by his son, William Ramsey. Thanks to several renovations, frequent help from the rest of the Tellico community and a passion for preserving the homestead, the house is one of the area’s most well-preserved historical homes, and it still has many of its early defining features, including its custom trim, stone walls and fireplaces.
The Ramsey family lived in the house until the passing of Margaret Ramsey in 2018. Her children wanted to make sure that the farm continued to see use, so they sought out a new owner. They went through Mainspring Conservation Trust to apply for preservation help, and while their application wasn’t chosen, they found some unexpected help in Mainspring Communications Director Molly Phillips.
“It was a very bittersweet decision, but we’re just not farmers,” Joe Ramsey said of the sale. “We wanted to find someone who would keep it in agricultural use… Molly was a perfect fit.”
Phillips and her husband have prior experience renovating older homes, but nothing as old as the Ramsey house. Fortunately, it was well looked after during its time with the Ramsey family. While it will need a few updates to live comfortably in, the bones are good.
“It’s in great shape for a 150-year-old house,” Phillips said. “Every contractor we’ve talked to has been amazed by how well it’s held up.”
With about 3,000 square feet of space on an estate in excess of 124 acres, there’s a lot of potential in the project. However, Phillips has no intention of stripping and selling the land. Some farmers are already leasing the land for their livestock and they’ll get to stick around. Any future additions will be made with the hope of preserving the classic rural atmosphere. She’s even forgoing some major conveniences in rooms like the kitchen so they won’t contrast with the rest of the house.
“We didn’t move in here for 2021 perfection,” Phillips said. “It’s important to me that this place stays rural.”
Phillips says that there are already a lot of eyes on the house now that her family is moving in. People are fascinated by the role it played in Macon County’s history as a farm, a boarding house, a community center and even a frequent stopping point for soldiers. Robert Shook of the Macon County Historical Society says that it’s an especially valuable spot for Macon County because many historical buildings closer to downtown haven’t been prioritized for preservation in years past.
“On Main Street, we didn’t do a great job of preserving our buildings,” Shook said. “We need to learn from our history, not tear it down.”
Phillips even jokes that if she charged everyone who wanted to come tour the house $20 admission, she could probably finance the whole renovation, but money isn’t the point. She does want to build a presence for the house online and show it off, but it’s to help people experience the history of Macon County is a more tangible way.
“So many people know about this place, so we feel a responsibility to do this right,” Phillips said. “We’re in an era of tearing everything down, and we don’t have to. Some things don’t have to change.”
For more information and photos from the house, find @molly.p on Instagram.