Nestled in Crossville, Tennessee, the world’s most colossal treehouse stood as a testament to an extraordinary vision.
Horace Burgess, its creator, claimed divine inspiration for the construction of what became known as “The Minister’s Tree House”. Since 1993, a staggering 250,000 nails were meticulously placed across its ten stories, all supported by the steadfast foundation of six mighty oaks.
Spanning over 3000 square meters, the living space amalgamated across its multiple floors. Remarkably, this wooden marvel, which took 14 years to complete, supposedly incurred a mere $12,000 in costs
What kind of person embarks on such an ambitious endeavor, you might wonder? Perhaps a lunatic, one might think. However, according to Burgess, God directed him to undertake this extraordinary project, promising an unending supply of wood.
True to his conviction, the treehouse featured a central space designed for both prayer and basketball games, along with a penthouse crowning its tenth floor. A substantial half-ton church bell further accentuated its grandeur.
Over the years, the countless planks that composed the treehouse bore witness to the marks left by intrigued tourists who flocked to witness this architectural wonder.
Despite its popularity, the treehouse faced closure in 2012 due to violations of local fire codes. Concerns mounted as the fire department feared the catastrophic consequences of a blaze in a structure entirely crafted from wood.
Regrettably, those fears materialized as the colossal treehouse succumbed to flames in less than half an hour. Standing at an impressive 97 feet in Crossville, Tennessee, the Minister’s Treehouse became engulfed in a destructive inferno.
Constructed through the 1990s with a promise that building a treehouse meant never running out of material, the structure comprised 80 rooms, including classrooms, bedrooms, and a kitchen. Supported by an 80-foot white oak tree, it featured a wraparound porch connecting the five stories with a winding stairway.
The interior, a blend of the quirky and spiritual, boasted a hand-carved Bible, towering cross, and wooden pews. The name “JESUS” was even mowed into the grass beneath the building, emphasizing its spiritual significance.
Tourism ceased in 2012 due to safety breaches, leading to its eventual closure by state fire marshals.
The demise of the Minister’s Treehouse was swift, and Captain Derek Carter of the Cumberland County Fire Department, who had visited the treehouse as a tourist in the past, described it as “very cool, but also very dangerous”.
For those who once marveled at its grandeur, the Minister’s Treehouse remains a cherished memory, even as it has now returned to the earth from which it was built.
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I Accidentally Overheard My Husband Talking about Me to His Family & I Still Can’t Digest It
A trip that was meant to be an opportunity to build a relationship with her in-laws turned into a crushing realization of feeling unwelcome in her husband’s family during their annual vacation
The early stages of marriage can be a transition, especially when trying to fit into your spouse’s family. This woman was still trying to navigate her place in her husband’s family, but in the end, she was heartbroken and felt even more displaced.
The woman took to Reddit to share how it all unfolded. She explained that she and her husband had not been married long, so she had not spent much time with his family. However, her in-laws had an annual family vacation, and this year she asked her husband if she could join.
The husband was hesitant, but his wife argued it would be a great opportunity for her to get to know them better and for them to work toward building a relationship. Consequently, the husband agreed. Upon their arrival, she realized the family was a bit surprised to see her but still welcomed her.
Things were going well, but the truth came out on the third day of the vacation. The husband, along with his brother, mother, father, and other spouses, were sitting outside while the Redditor was inside preparing a fruit salad.
As she walked toward the door, she heard her mother-in-law say, “Did she really have nowhere else to spend the weekend?” At first, the wife did not know who she was referring to, so she stopped to listen further and heard her husband say, “I know!!! And I didn’t want to bring her with me, but what was I supposed to do?!!! You know how pushy she can get.” She instantly figured it was about her.
The statement shattered her heart, and she almost dropped the bowl of salad she was holding. “This whole time I was there, I cleaned, cooked, looked after the kids, and this is how they think of me? An inconvenience to them?” she expressed.
The original poster (OP) could not see herself spending another day with the family, especially after discovering her presence was unwanted. So, she quickly booked the next flight out. Her husband texted but did not respond; she simply told him she had made it home safely.
When he got home, he was extremely angry at his wife and told her she was “disrespectful and juvenile.” The OP told him that she had overheard what he said to his mother, but he still blamed her for eavesdropping and said his family was slowly warming up to her.
In the end, the wife started feeling bad, thinking she might have ruined the vacation for everyone. Thus, she turned to fellow Reddit users and asked if she was right to leave the family vacation after she heard what her husband said about her.
Contrarily, the OP’s story had many commenters riled up. Readers believed the OP was right to leave because she overheard her mother-in-law speaking ill of her, and her husband did not defend her, which was a big red flag to many readers.
Another commenter simply asked, “Does he even like you?” while another added, “NTA. Please don’t let him gaslight you.” Another reader was shocked that the OP was being treated in this manner when she was a wife, not a girlfriend her husband had been dating for two weeks.
One reader shared that she had experienced a similar situation with her ex-husband. She said he used to go on vacation with another family, and when she asked to join, her husband told her it was “only family.” The woman realized her husband never considered her family, so she spent that week with her friends and when he returned from his vacation, she served him with divorce papers.
What was even more shocking to Redditors was that all the other spouses were allowed on the family vacation except for her. “NTA. Other spouses are welcome but not you? What on earth is going on here??” pointed out a commenter.
Here is a story about a woman who could not believe what her fiancé said to his friends after her grandmother’s death.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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