At the end of a mile-long winding drive just off Whites Creek Pike sits the recently reopened Fontanel Mansion, with a past almost as storied as that of its former owner, legendary country music star Barbara Mandrell. Having fallen into disrepair in recent years, a Buffalo, N.Y., developer purchased the property in 2022 vowing to restore and reimagine it.
“It’s not just a property — it’s history,” says Clinton Holcomb, who bought the Fontanel and 118 surrounding acres for just over $6 million and is currently operating it as an event space.
The 30,000-square-foot custom log home was designed by local architectural firm Tuck-Hinton (rebranded in 2022 as Anecdote Architectural Experiences). The Fontanel is in good company. The firm’s other noteworthy projects include the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Music City Center and the Adventure Science Center…