Crossville, Tennessee: The Minister's Tree House (Gone)
A giant tree house -- maybe the largest in the world -- built by a preacher who said that God showed him how He wanted it to look. Closed by the state Fire Marshal in 2012; went up in flames in 2019.
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This is the most amazing place I have ever been. I talked to several people at the "outlet center" just down the road, and they all said the same thing: "No one cares." No one cares, no one will report you going in, no one cares if you take pictures, and everyone is trying to save it. It is still trespassing to go in, of course, but the liability is yours, and yours alone.
The structure is very sound, and there is an amazing swing that hangs all the way from the top. There is a room full of huge wood carved statues, which are simply incredible.
[Lore, 06/21/2014]
Yup. Closed. Padlocked. Plethora of NO TRESPASSING signs. Shut down by the fire marshall. No one to be found with whom to negotiate a visit.
[Jason, 10/28/2012]Luckily for Human Civilization, the treehouse isn't going anywhere (it's just too big). We hope that the minister and fire marshall can resolve their differences, and that the treehouse can reopen to the public sooner rather than later.
Too bad this has closed. My sister and I visited recently and it was really kind of whimsical. I wish they hadn't shut it down -- wanted to take my mom there.
[Carol Lane, 09/05/2012]There's a grassroots effort to persuade the fire marshall to spare the Minister's Tree House. You can sign the petition started by Natosha Carson.
Went to visit the treehouse on Labor Day, only to find that the state Fire Marshall had officially shut it down. There was a nice young man explaining the situation to all the visitors, as quite a few people were there when we arrived. Apparently it has been deemed not safe. You can call the number on the sign to complain to the Fire Marshall.
[Caitlin, 09/04/2012]Treehouse builder (and minister) Horace Burgess put up the sign out of frustration, since there are no building codes for a treehouse and his treehouse has proven to be well-built for many years. The phone number is 615-741-2981. If you call to voice your support of the Treehouse, please be polite.
Signs are posted warning "No Trespassing," but after speaking with the folks who own the property, these signs are really only there to discourage local teenage vandals. In fact, there is visitor parking during daylight hours, and the people are extremely friendly. You can go inside the treehouse and climb to the top of the tower to see where they have mowed the word "Jesus" into the grass.
Admission is free, but donations are accepted and merchandise is for sale to help maintain the property. Also, if you feel skittish around dogs, be warned that the owners have multiple dogs running around the property. They are all, however, extremely friendly.
[Erica, 08/06/2012][Previous 5 items] Page of 7 [Next 5 items]
The Minister's Tree House
- Hours:
- Oct. 22, 2019: Went up in flames.
- Status:
- Gone
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Officially this is still a closed attraction on private property, and there are posted "No Trespassing" signs.