3308 Timberlake

History of 3308 Timberlake Dr. (1953-2009)
Home Built by Robert Craig Brown

submitted by Lonnie and Lil Brown, October 2009

Bob and Mary Lee Brown moved into the house in 1953. Bob and an architect friend , both employed by TVA, designed and built the house. The house was built like a TVA dam using steel beams and concrete floors topped with Candora marble. A large fireplace and retaining wall from the fireplace extending outdoors was also Candora marble. The marble was also used on the structure of the outside of the house.

Bob raised chinchillas to have a hobby upon his retirement from TVA. He was proud to have won several blue ribbons at area chinchilla shows. He built a large chinchilla house in the woods adjoining the house, where all cages were filled with beautiful chinchillas. A neighborhood child got into the house and let all the chinchillas run free from the cages. Of course, that was the end of knowing which chinchillas belonged to their respective papers so they were no longer valuable for showing. At that point, he sold the chinchillas and cages and just used the house for storage, which is its function now. He died in 1969.

Mary Lee Brown was very active in music in Knoxville. She was president of the "Tuesday Morning Music Club" and the Smithwood choral group. She also taught piano lessons to most of the interested children in the neighborhood. Mary Lee then married Clifton Bolieau, whose wife had died, from the Lakemoor Hills area. The two couples had been friends for years through TVA and the choir at St. John 's Episcopal Church. They lived in the Timberlake house until Mary Lee died in 1999. Clif then moved to Utah to be with his son, Chris. Clif died at age 100.

At that time, Lil and Lonnie Brown renovated the house and made additions to suit their needs. They moved from Lenoir City to live in the family home in 2000. Lonnie is a retired teacher from Knoxville Central High School and Lil retired from practicing Dental Hygiene after 38 years. A gardening shed was added and the basement was refinished (adding a guest room and carpeting), and added a carport in 2006.

1953

Family Room Addition