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Academy of Innovation students Oden Henderson and Beau Bradley, both 14, have spent the last two years working on this treehouse in the Audubon Woods neighborhood. (Photo by Oden Henderson)

Beau Bradley, left and Oden Henderson pose for a picture in their treehouse. The 14-year-olds have been working on the treehouse weekends for the past two years. (Photo by Terri Cowart Frazier | The Vicksburg Post)

Sasquatches roam the woods near a treehouse in the Audubon Woods neighborhood. (Photo by Terri Cowart Frazier | The Vicksburg Post)

Academy of Innovation students Oden Henderson and Beau Bradley, both 14, have spent the last two years working on this treehouse in the Audubon Woods neighborhood. (Photo by Oden Henderson)

Academy of Innovation students Oden Henderson and Beau Bradley, both 14, have spent the last two years working on this treehouse in the Audubon Woods neighborhood. (Photo by Oden Henderson)

Academy of Innovation students Oden Henderson and Beau Bradley, both 14, have spent the last two years working on this treehouse in the Audubon Woods neighborhood. (Photo by Oden Henderson)

Academy of Innovation students Oden Henderson and Beau Bradley, both 14, have spent the last two years working on this treehouse in the Audubon Woods neighborhood. (Photo by Oden Henderson)

Academy of Innovation students Oden Henderson and Beau Bradley, both 14, have spent the last two years working on this treehouse in the Audubon Woods neighborhood. (Photo by Oden Henderson)

Beau Bradley, left and Oden Henderson pose for a picture in their treehouse. The 14-year-olds have been working on the treehouse weekends for the past two years. (Photo by Terri Cowart Frazier | The Vicksburg Post)

A Sasquatch, sometimes referred to as Bigfoot, has been spotted just south of downtown Vicksburg.

The creature does not seem to be causing any harm and in fact, the oversized gorilla-like creature seems to be hanging out with a couple of teenagers in the woods.

Oden Henderson and Beau Bradley, both students at the Academy of Innovation, have spent almost every weekend for the last two years building a treehouse and, in the process, decided to have a little extra fun. Oden and his dad, Geoff, cut out two life-size Sasquatch creatures from plywood. And then, Oden and Beau painted the cutouts and attached them to trees on New Year’s night.

“When cars drive by, they kind of always slow down,” Henderson said.

“And you can see their heads turn and look to see what is happening,” Bradley added.

Obviously, seeing two Sasquatches slinking through the woods has caused a few double-takes from passersby, but the real thrill for the boys is their treehouse.

Perched nearly 12 feet off the ground, the outdoor abode has been quite the undertaking.

Henderson said the treehouse started out as just a small little platform.

“And then it just kind of branched off and slowly started expanding,” Henderson said. In fact, it now even has a second level.

Constructed of cane the boys sawed down from their treks through the woods, the treehouse is sturdy and strong — so much so that the boys said they have spent the night in it on several occasions.

“Even in the rain,” Henderson said.

“And the dogs have come up here, too,” Bradley said.

The treehouse also has amenities that include an old electric smoker — now longingly called R2D2 — which was hoisted up to use for heating purposes and for cooking.

This, the 14-year-olds said, was probably their favorite aspect of the treehouse.

Henderson said the most challenging aspect of the construction has been building the roof.

“The frame of that roof, we have been working on it a long time,” Henderson said, adding when he does work on the structure, he wears a safety harness.

Bradley said future plans for the treehouse include adding walls and a rope bridge that connects to a nearby tree.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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