Explore the Minister's Treehouse in Crossville, Tennessee

The Minister's Treehouse is a sprawling structure built almost entirely by one man amid seven White Oak trees. It soars almost 100 feet high, includes around 70 rooms, and is truly a sight to behold.

Horace Burgess, a landscape architect and ordained minister, began this labor of love and faith in 1993 when he heeded a call from God to build the Treehouse. Except for about $12,000 in nails, which Burgess paid for, the structure is built entirely from donated and salvaged materials such as used lumber from sheds and barns, old furniture, discarded license plates, and doors and windows from landfills and demolition sights. Even now, 18 years later, the Treehouse is still a work in progress; Burgess plans to keep on building until he is no longer able to do the work.

The Treehouse encompasses an astonishing variety of rooms and features, including a spiral staircase, a chapel and choir loft with electricity, various balconies, twisting hallways, and seemingly endless nooks and crannies. For those who are particularly determined and hardy, the challenge is to make your way up to the belfry tower at the very top. Once there, be sure to ring the "church bells," which are actually a collection of 10 oxygen acetylene bottles. Oh, and enjoy the view!

The Treehouse is open to visitors during daylight hours and admission is free. If you visit on a Sunday and your timing is right, you can attend a church service in the Treehouse Chapel. Allow an hour to explore, but be aware that the Treehouse is not constructed in accordance with any particular safety codes, and so you visit at your own risk.

The Treehouse is located on Beehive Lane in Crossville, Tennessee. From I-40, take exit 320 and head north onto Hwy 298, making an almost immediate right at the stoplight onto Cook Road. Continue on Cook for about a mile until the road takes a sharp right. But don't take follow the road to the right... instead take a left onto Beehive Lane and drive about another 1/2 mile. Continue along after the pavement ends and you will see the Treehouse. Parking is available for passenger vehicles, Class B RVs and truck campers.