Horace Burgess's Treehouse

Horace Burgess's treehouse (also known as the Minister's Treehouse) is a treehouse and church in Crossville, Tennessee. Construction began in 1993, mostly by Burgess who says he had a visionary commandment from God to build a treehouse, and has continued since. Today it is a popular local attraction which has been unofficially called the largest tree house in the world. It was closed by the state in 2012 for fire code violations.

History and description

The exterior of the treehouse

Horace Burgess, a local Minister, was praying in 1993 when he claims God told him, "If you build a tree house, I'll see that you never run out of material."[1] Inspired by the vision, Burgess began building the treehouse. As of 2013, the 97-foot-tall tree house and church is supported by a still-living 80-foot-tall white oak tree with a 12-foot diameter base, and relies on six other oak trees for support.[2] When not in service, the church doubles as a basketball court.[3]

The treehouse is located on Beehive Lane in Crossville, Tennessee.[4] It has become a popular tourist attraction.[5] In August 2012, the structure was closed to public access by the state since it had become a public attraction but did not follow fire safety codes.[6][7]

Although there is no Guinness World Records category for largest treehouse, it is often referred to unofficially as the world's largest.[8]

See also

References

Coordinates: 35°59′08″N 84°59′40″W / 35.9855°N 84.9944°W / 35.9855; -84.9944

  1. ↑ Atlas Obscura (June 11, 2013). "World's Largest Treehouse, Built by Divine Inspiration". Slate. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  2. ↑ Ken Beck (July 29, 2007). "Divine vision inspired a 97-foot treehouse". The Tennessean (USA Today). Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  3. ↑ Charlotte Philby (18 March 2009). "The lure of treehouses". The Independent. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Roadside America article". Roadside America article. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
  5. ↑ Christine Roberts (June 19, 2012). "Horace Burgess' Guinness-record, 10-story 'Minister's Treehouse' built by Tennessean after God told him 'I will get you all the supplies'". New York Daily News. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  6. ↑ "PDF from State of Tennessee" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-02-07.
  7. ↑ "News article on it being closed to public". Newschannel5.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-13. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
  8. ↑ "Inside One Of The World's Largest Treehouses: Minister's Treehouse In Crossville, Tennessee". Huffington Post. June 20, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2014. The towering structure in Crossville, Tennessee, is often referred to as the unofficial largest treehouse in the world. While Guinness World Records officials can't confirm it as an official record, there's no disputing the house's grandeur.
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