Roseboro treehouse remains community favorite

>>> MAYBE YOU HAD A TREE

HOUSE AS A KID.

A MAN FROM

ROSE BUREAU HAS ONE NOW.

>> EYE TAR HEEL TRAVELER IS

IN -- WE GO TO BUDDY NELSON'S

TREE HOUSE BUILT AROUND A

SINGLE TREE.

>> ALL THE INTERVIEWS WE DO

HAS TAKEN US INTO HOMES IN

NORTH CAROLINA INCLUDING ONE

HERE IN ROSE BUREAU.

THE

HOUSE YOU'VE GOT TO SEE IS

THE HOUSE BUILT AROUND A

TREE.

HOW BIG IS THE HOUSE?

>> 8,000 SQUARE FEET.

>> 8,000 SQUARE FEET.

AND

GROWING.

>> THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION IS

IT STILL LIVING?

IS THAT

TREE ALIVE?

>> IT'S A WATER OAK.

>> IT'S 14 AND A HALF FEET

ROUND.

>> IT'S PUSHING THE CONTINUE

BACK.

>> YEAH.

IT'S TAKING OVER.

I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT T

IT.

>> WILLIE CAN DO ANYTHING HE

SETS HIS MIND TO.

>> IT'S 16 ROOMS.

>> UPSTAIRS AND DOWN.

>> THIS IS THE DESK FLOOR.

I'VE HAD AS MANY AS 300

PEOPLE HERE.

>> IS IT POPULAR HERE?

>> THE FELLOWS -- THERE'S

FOUR BARS IN THE TREE HOUSE.

>> JUST WHEN I NEEDED

SOMETHING, I WOULD START

[INDISCERNIBLE].

>> HE NEEDS A BATHROOM.

>> THIS IS THE MEN'S ROOM.

>> THEN HE NEEDED A LADY'S

ROOM.

>> I'VE GOT A SHOWER.

>> HE'S GOT A KITCHEN.

NOT

THE ONLY PLACE HE GREW UP.

>> THE PATIO.

>> I CAN SIT 50.

>> SIT OR SLEEP.

>> THE GUEST ROOM, HOW MANY

BEDROOMS DO YOU HAVE IN HERE?

>> TWO BEDROOMS.

>> UPSTAIRS AGAIN.

>> MY MAN CAVE.

>> THE MASTER BEDROOM.

>> GOT EVERYTHING YOU WANT.

>> TV, RECLINER, FRIG.

>> I LOVE IT.

>> WILLIE LOVES HIS TREE

HOUSE.

>> I WANTED A BIGOTRY HOUSE

FOR GROWN PEOPLE.

>> HE STARTED IN 1997 WITH

NOTHING BUT THE TREE.

>> I HAD NO TRAINING.

>> NO TRAINING IN BUILDING.

>> ONE ROAD LED TO ANOTHER

ROOM.

>> MY VIP LOUNGE.

>> THE WOOD IS FROM OLD

HOUSES AND TOBACCO BARS.

>> THAT'S MY SON.

>> FAMILY PHOTOS ARE ON THE

WALLS AND FRIEND'S

SIGNATURES.

>> HOW MANY SIGNATURES DO YOU

THINK IS IN HERE?

>> 5,000

>> THE ONES HIGHLIGHTS IN

ORANGE?

>> THEY HAVE PASSED.

>> IT HAS BEEN MEMORIALIZED.

>> RIGHT.

>> IT MAKES THIS HOUSE MORE

THAN A TREE HOUSE.

>> ARE YOU PROUD OF WHAT

YOU'VE DONE?

>> YES.

VERY MUCH, SIR.

>> PROUD AND CONTENT.

>> I'M NOT [INDISCERNIBLE].

>> THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING.

WILLIE MELVIN IS AN

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER

FROM SAMPSON COUNTY WHO

RETIRES MONDAY AFTER 25

YEARS.

HE MAY JUST ADD ON

EVEN MORE TO HIS TREE HOUSE.

BY THE WAY HE RENTS IT FOR

WEDDING RECEPTIONS, BABY

SHOWERS AND BIRTHDAY PARTIES

AND AS YOU SAW, EVERYONE

SIGNS THE WALL.

>>> A PARK LOCATED IN THE