Photo via Obvious

16 years ago, Horrace Burges had a divine vision, a calling from heaven. And, like the ark-crafting Noah before him, Horrace picked up a hammer and built a large wooden structure of his own--the world's largest tree house. At 10 stories tall, with roughly 10,000 square feet, the tree house may be more aptly called a 'tree mansion', but according Horrace, it's a work in progress.

Located in Crossville, Tennessee, Horrace built the tree house was using only recycled lumber, donated or salvaged from demolition sites. He says that since so much of the material used to build the house was given to him, the whole project has only cost him around $12 thousand--most of which was spent on nails.

The structure, which climbs 100 feet into the air, is mainly supported by a single large tree which makes up it's foundation--though a spiral staircase allows access inside from the ground level.

Horrace Burges, as a landscape architect, is no stranger to building structures that compliment their setting so well--but he's also an ordained minister, which means he's no stranger to the often curious calls of divine inspiration which led him to build the giant tree house.

The 'tree mansion' has become quite the tourist attraction in Crossville since Horrace opened it up to the public--with nearly 400 visitors a week coming to take a look at what he's built. After all, it's every kid's dream to live in such a tree house, particularly one with 10 stories--but most weren't brave enough to try. As it turns out though, all it takes is $12 thousand, some salvaged lumber, and a little inspiration.