The owner, Horace Burgess, claims that God granted him the commission to build the house. “The Minister’s Tree House” is another moniker for it. Almost 250,000 nails have been used in the construction of the home’s ten levels, which sit on a foundation of six oaks, since 1993. The overall “living space” is over 3000 square meters, which includes all floors. The house took 14 years to build and, although being entirely made of wood, was estimated to cost around $12,000.
What sort of individual would build something like that? You’re thinking he’s a lunatic. God informed Horace Burgess in 1993 to build the tree house and assured him that he would never run out of wood. So far, it looks like God has kept his promise. The structure has a large center area that may be used for prayer as well as basketball games, as well as a penthouse on the tenth story.
A half-ton church bell is also included. The several planks of wood that comprise the building now bear the markings of visitors who came to see it. The house, which had been in operation for some time, was forced to close in 2012 due to violations of the local fire code. The local fire department is anxious that a large fire may break out, which would be devastating for the structure, which is entirely built of wood.
Finally, it happened… The world’s largest treehouse, a 97-foot-tall wooden structure in Crossville, Tennessee, burned to the ground in less than half an hour. In the early 1990s, architect Harold Burgess stated in an interview, “If you build a tree house, you’ll never run out of material.” He properly did so. The Minister’s Treehouse was built over two decades utilizing raw lumber donated by residents.
The mansion included 80 rooms, including classrooms, bedrooms, and a kitchen, spread across five stories and kept together by an 80-foot-tall white oak tree. A large wraparound porch connected the levels by a winding stairway. The interior design, which included a hand-carved Bible, a towering cross, and wooden pews, successfully mixed humorous and spiritual elements.
The word “JESUS” was spelled out in the carefully groomed grass beneath the structure. The treehouse drew tourists searching for a one-of-a-kind experience because it was utilized for religious services. State fire marshals banned tourism at the treehouse in 2012 because to multiple violations, including a lack of a load distribution system, uneven flooring and fall hazards, exceeding restrictions, and the absence of a licensed design professional.
When the state fire marshal ordered the building to be closed, Burgess posted a sign that read, “Closed by the state fire marshal.” File your grievances with them. Captain Derek Carter of the Cumberland County Fire Department was already on the scene when police in the neighborhood were contacted to report the fire. “When we arrived, it was basically a pile of rubble.” “The fire was so intense that we had to park 500 yards away,” Carter says. When firemen got on the scene, it took nearly 15 minutes to put out the fire.
Macy Leatherwood, a Pigeon Forge local, spent Christmas 2018 with her family in Cumberland Mountain State Park. According to Leatherwood, the Minister’s Treehouse was “the highlight of the trip” due to its grandeur and originality. Even though she could only see the house via the fence, she had a beautiful view. She was devastated when she learned that the house had burned destroyed. “It will undoubtedly be a treasured memory of a family vacation, and I’ll never forget that treehouse.”
Captain Carter, who visited the treehouse as a tourist before it was closed to the public while on leave, described it as “a deathtrap.” He summarized the experience by adding, “It was very cool, but also very dangerous.”