Think you had the world’s greatest treehouse as a kid? Well this guy’s got you beat. Horace Burgess’s treehouse is located somewhere near Crossville, Tennessee and stands over 97-feet tall thanks to the 80-foot white oak tree it was built around which also happens to be about 12-feet in diameter at its base. It has 11 floors, somewhere in the neighborhood of 8,000 to 10,000 square feet, a miniature basketball court and is held together by roughly 258,000 nails.
Horace Burgess’s treehouse may be as close to heaven as a body can get in Cumberland County.
It rises 97 feet into the sky, the support provided by a live, 80-foot-tall white oak 12 feet in diameter at its base. Six other trees brace the tower-like fortress, but Burgess says its foundation is in God.
“I built it for everybody. It’s God’s treehouse. He keeps watch over it,” said Burgess, who received his inspiration in a vision that came to him in 1993. “I was praying one day, and the Lord said, ‘If you build me a treehouse, I’ll see you never run out of material.”‘
And thus far, as Burgess sees it, the Lord has provided. Most of his materials are recycled pieces of lumber from garages, storage sheds and barns. Now into his 14th year of construction, he is not finished.
The treehouse has 10 floors, averaging nine to 11 feet in height by Burgess’s reckoning. He has never measured its size but estimates it to be about 8,000 to 10,000 square feet. He did count the nails that he has hammered into the wood — 258,000, give or take a few hundred. And he guesses he has sunk about $12,000 into the project.
“God used my hands to put every piece in place, but I had a lot of help,” said the 56-year-old landscape architect. He’s a country boy but lives in town and compares himself to Job of the Old Testament. His pale blue Paul Newman-like eyes beam and he wears an easy smile on his tanned face.
“I’ve always proclaimed it to be the world’s largest treehouse, and no one has ever challenged it,” Burgess said.
All of story read here : usatoday, More photos: Author Micha Michelle Melancon
at 2:16 am
I think it’s great. Only if the rest of us aspired to building something rather than making snide comments…
at 2:58 am
All of you who were h***** should stop. My grandparents used to take me there once and a while as it was near their house. The man is sweet and seems completely sincere and he loves showing people around. This place is ridiculous in person, it seemed perfectly safe to me, though getting to that “bird’s nest” on top felt a little sketchy, but was AWESOME! To all of you hating on the money he’s spent or his motives, I’d like to see what you’ve done with $70 a month. While you’re thinking about that, who have you done it for. I’m betting yourself.
at 3:11 am
I wonder if God also requested the no trespassing sign?
at 3:47 am
i hope termites infest that. im just jealous.
at 7:10 am
@Job
It’s hard to tell, but I’m pretty sure that sign in the second to last picture actually says either No Smoking or No Jumping (like from the balcony)
The second word it’s kind of blurry but it doesn’t look long enough to say Trespassing.
at 1:36 pm
@ job
it definitely says no smoking, not no trespassing
at 7:50 pm
Like a haunted house but so unique. Nice
at 8:40 pm
any fireplaces?
at 10:47 pm
if u just click on the picture it will enlarge and u can clearly see that it say no smoking.
at 11:06 pm
i have been here and its incredible. One of the most magnificent things I have ever seen.
at 11:41 pm
Very impressive as it is. If, however, the builder REALLY wants to impress people (and prove that God actually had a hand in building it) I think he should install a roof top pool. Once THAT is done, he’s got my vote!
at 11:55 pm
it’s grounded….technically, not a tree house. pretty cool tho…to walk thru.
at 12:20 am
I wonder if he got a building permit for that…lmao
Otherwise really great work, might have to go check that out some day since I am not far from it (NC).
at 1:27 am
It is fantastique ,i wish i could live in it .But is it very solid and safe.I am not good at building anything but i love the look,the making of this great house.mf nitski
at 1:28 am
Why should i be moderate .I say what I feel.mf nitski
at 12:45 pm
…the perfect place to have a party with your mates and s**** a few j****… knowing me i’d get so stoned that id end up falling off the bloody thing haha!
at 8:00 pm
At this point, I think it’s ok to just call it a house. With a tree in it.
at 2:25 am
I think I just pooped a little
at 2:25 am
…well, maybe a lot.
at 1:21 pm
Interesting. But I’m guessing his work hasn’t done the tree any favors. A pity to “kill” the host.
at 11:32 am
I hope there’s at least one person in there when it collapses.
at 6:28 pm
It’s totally photoshopped, look at the pixels
at 9:43 pm
Very impressive as it is.
at 11:20 pm
the thing isn’t photo shopped i’ve seen it… flat out amazing… God can do anything
at 12:32 pm
OMG!!!
at 11:03 pm
I’ve been there. My friend got married there this past summer. It was the best wedding I’ve ever been too. Got pretty hungover there too. Lol! I’d highly suggest a trip out there.
at 3:09 pm
My sister wants to get married there, this tree house is really awesome! Everyone should check it out! It’s great!
at 1:58 am
There is NOT and photoshop done on the pictures… it looks exactly like these pics… To all of you who have negative views and opinions, TAKE YOUR YANKEE A**** BACK HOME!
at 8:27 pm
oh and nitsky you dont have to sign your name after every post, come on people its time to pull your finger out. lets try a little bit harder to use the brains we were blessed with.
at 5:16 am
WE WENT TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME. I WANT TO THANK THIS MAN FOR MAKING SUCH AND AMAZING PLACE AND SHARING IT WITH ALL OF US AND ALLOWING US TO VISIT IT. IT IS BETTER THEN DOLLYWOOD! I THINK HE SHOULD CHARGE AN ADMISSION I WOULD HAVE PAID. FOR ANYONE THAT THINKS SOMETHING NEGATIVE ABOUT THIS MANS HARDS WORK…. GET A LIFE AND STAY THE HELL HOME WE DONT NEED YOUR KIND HERE!
at 12:48 pm
I live right by there and in person it really is breath taking in person. But its supper safe and open to the public. the guy who made it just dosent want people there at night.
And hes really nice and i give him props for building it. And hes still not done.
at 6:39 pm
I’ve visited thios place. Climbed to the top and rang the chimes.
The floors lean like the crooked man in the crooked house.
Structure supported by tree tronks whose limbs have been drastically removed. Someday, these supports will be dead enough to cause a major catastrophy with or without someone in it.
There are no codes used in creting this structure. Pitfalls all over the joint. Kids are allowed to wander away from their parents and sooner or later someone is going to get hurt.
I think tah is why they have a sign that says no tresspassing yet everyone goes there anyway. The owner or caretaker of the property is never around, to avoid liabiklity.
It is a cool place yet scary to be inside a possible death trap.
Sure, nothing has happened yet, but that is why codes are enforced and permits are required when building a structure like this. And when everyone knows many people visit this thing on a daily basis.
I would call the governing authorities liable on a grand scale if someone wasto get hurt or die. They know it is there and they know how many people frequent it.
Fun place, but does not make any sense to me why it was allowed to be built or why it is still standing.
Good luck to those that climb its ladders and stairs.
at 2:52 am
Thank goodness there’s something left in this country that doesn’t subscribe to rules, appropriateness, logic or codes. This place is a hoot! Love it.
at 4:06 pm
I live near the treehouse, and I know the man who built it! He was the janitor at my school when I was a little girl. My daughter loves the tree house, and we go there for picnics whenever we can. Horace has a sign on the tree house that says, “climb at your own risk,” that takes care of the liability issue. I understand that he and his wife spend their wedding night in the tree house. It was not originally built for the public; but he has been gracious enough to open it up to all of us to enjoy. I am very glad that he did!
at 7:04 pm
Visited the treehouse on June 13 and found it very interesting. Was worth the drive from Cookeville. Really enjoyed it. Thanks for allowing people to drop by and enjoy it. I plan to bring grandkids next time.
at 3:12 am
God says build a tree house. An have no bad people smoke cigarettes in it
at 12:43 am
This is amazing, I live less than an hour away and plan on going to see it in person.
at 6:44 pm
Took my family here today. We were not disappointed. It is bizarre! We loved it. It looks just like these pix. Not sure why someone thinks it is photo shopped.
at 1:30 am
im actually good friends with the builder of this treehouse not photoshoped been there many times really cool go see it:)
at 10:07 pm
There must be some seriously critters crawling around in there. Looks nice, but don’t think I would want some big ole nasty spiders crawling over me while I’m sleeping in bed.
at 10:39 am
Sorry, folks. Not my bag. Ugly, ramshackle and potentially dangerous. I’m sure he enjoys it and that’s fine.
at 2:16 pm
Visited this tree house last week and thought it was absolutely amazing! It is truly a sight to see! The crooked stairs, the creaky boards…woohoo! My son actually said his “belly was flipping” and wanted to leave. hehehe
The only problem my family and I had was with the transients/vagabonds/drifters occupying the place (which wasn’t apparent that they were there until we were well into our exploration). Whilst my brother-in-law and I explored, my family (wife, two children, sister-in-law, and her four girls) was taunted, stared and growled at by a undesirable that had an obvious problem with our presence. At one point this kook started throwing rocks and growling at my family. (WTF!?) I was on top floor and my wife called to me from ground level asking if we could “PLEASE LEAVE….NOW!” They were rattled beyond belief. My wife actually stated that she felt as though she was the star in a horror flick.
I regret to say,… we will never go back…without a gun.
at 10:27 pm
This tree house is awesome
my aunt lives not far from it i mean like rite there lol but yea it is the bomb
at 9:48 pm
Went to this place last weekend and it’s incredible. The amount of work and time that has been put into it is unbelieveable. Made it to the top to ring the chimes and this area was a little shaky, but otherwise surprisingly sturdy. Lots and lots of steps and ladders. Be prepared to have sore legs. Ha!
at 5:24 pm
I live within 5 minutes of the treehouse, it’s absolutely breathtaking. The pictures don’t give it justice, seriously, but great pics!
@Rockstar, sorry to hear about your experience. That is not ‘normal’ for visitors at the Treehouse. My family goes frequently and we have met so many people from all over the world who have heard of the “World’s Largest Treehouse”.
I highly recommend!
at 7:41 pm
This tree house is a treasure for our town and a sight to see. I loved my tour around the different floors. You do feel the presence of God when you are in the room with the altar and wooden benches.
I know Horace and his family and they are the finest of all people. They give and give to the needy and less fortunate. If you think something negative, please don’t say it, keep it to yourself.
at 6:53 pm
I saw this featured on Tennessee Crossroads a month or so ago. It looks like it would be a great day trip for the whole family. Me and several friends plan to do this in the next couple of weeks.
at 3:55 am
This place is awsome ive been there twice so far still havent seen everything plan on going back!! If you go warning your legs will hurt the next day!! Its for sure something you would want to see!!
at 1:39 pm
is the treehouse shutdown????
at 10:23 pm
The tree house is still open. we were there yesterday. The kids were in awe as well as myself. The structure is very strong and sound. I was at the top in some good winds and had very little sway. This is not meant to be a commercial building. Its a tree house. So what if the floors are not perfectly level. The no trespassing signs are to keep the people out at night. Apparently this was a good place for teens to go drink and do other things. It states if the gate is open you are welcome.