The seven remaining structures can be seen in the park I was walking at. Stiltsville is a group of wood stilt houses located one mile south of Cape Florida, on sand banks of the Safety Valve on the edge of Biscayne Bay in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The structures stand on wood or reinforced concrete pilings, generally ten feet above the shallow water, which varies from one to three feet deep at low tide. View from the Cape Florida Light History Most sources claim the first stilt shack was built in the early 1930s, but some Dade County historians say that there were a dozen shacks in "the flats" as early as 1922. Crawfish Eddie "Crawfish" Eddie Walker built a shack on stilts above the water in 1933, toward the end of the prohibition era, allegedly to facilitate gambling, which was legal at one mile offshore. Crawfish Eddie sold bait and beer from his shack and was known for a dish he called chilau, a crawfish chowder made with crawfish he caught under his shack. Thomas Grady and Leo Edward, two of Eddie's fishing buddies, built their own shack in 1937. Shipwrecking and channel dredging brought many people to the area and more shacks were constructed, some by boating and fishing clubs. Local newspapers called the area "the shacks" and "shack colony". Crawfish Eddie's original shack was destroyed by the late-season Hurricane King of 1950. Calvert Club at Stiltsville Calvert Club The first social club built at Stiltsville was constructed during the late 1930s and named the Calvert Club. The Miami Beach Rod & Reel Club was organized in 1929 and held its first official outing at the Stiltsville Calvert Club in August 1938. A club picture was taken in front of the club, which was popular enough to have picture postcards printed with its image. Quarterdeck Club The Quarterdeck Club, built on a barge by Commodore Edward Turner, opened in November, 1940. The club gained popularity after an article about the club appeared in Life magazine on February 10, 1941. The article noted that this was an "extraordinary American community dedicated solely to sunlight, salt water and the well-being of the human spirit." The club was described as "a $100,000 play-palace equipped with bar, lounge, bridge deck, dining room and dock slips for yachts". The local newspapers began running stories and photographs of parties with celebrities. The Quarterdeck Club was viewed by tourists as a "must see" attraction at Miami Beach, Florida. Rumors of gambling persisted, and the club was raided in 1949, but no evidence of gambling was found. Hotelman Warren Freeman purchased the club in 1950 and envisioned it as a high-class operation. The structure was renovated and expanded, only to be heavily damaged by Hurricane King late in the season. Dejected and broke, Freeman sold what remained. The club was rebuilt, but never regained the popularity of its early years. Hurricane Donna in 1960 damaged most of the structures in Stiltsville, including the Quarterdeck Club, then the building was completely destroyed by a fire in 1961 that burned all the way to the pilings. The rumor was that the owner's wife set fire to the club after a jealous fit. Karl Mongelluzzo, the last owner of the Quarterdeck Club, was denied a building permit in 1967. Party Central Stiltsville may not have looked like much, but in the 1940s and 1950s, it was a popular place where lawyers, bankers, politicians, and other moneyed, well-connected Miamians came to drink, relax and kick back. Law enforcement periodically visited the area, looking for vice activities. read more

Stiltsville - 1930 creative housing - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Miami, Florida

A boat or watercraft is needed to reach Stiltsville as it is 1 mile due south of Key Biscayne. Hurricane Andrew destroyed must of the home and businesses. It is a great way to view the Miami coast from sea. read more

Stiltsville - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Miami, Florida

Stiltsville isn't your typical tropical vacation sight - it's something completely different :-) Tip: The part of the park that this place is in technically closes at dusk, so when the sunset is over you need to "Exit, Stage Left" PDQ ;-) Bearing in mind the aforementioned caveat, this is a really excellent place to watch the sunset from. read more

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This place is amazing!!! Beautiful, historic houses just one mile off the coast of Miami!!! We came here a few years ago by kayak (almost died but I'll spare you the details - just know we got rescued by Florida wildlife) and it was such an amazing experience!!!! Our mistake was not checking the tides so we got stuck in rip currents. However, the trip there was stunning. So much wildlife and the houses are soooooooo cute. We just parked our kayak there and enjoyed drinks on the houses. You can't go in but you can chill outside. LOVED IT and it's a MMUST in Miami. read more

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Stiltsville is a group of wooden houses built on stilts in the ocean one mile south of Key Biscayne. You can get an excellent view of it from the top of the Cape Florida in Bill Baggs State Park at the southern end of Key Biscayne. It is only accessible by boat. It's history goes back to the 1933 when "Crawfish Eddie Walker" built the first shack on stilts above the water at the end of prohibition to engage in illegal gambling. Eddie sold bait, beer, and a crawfish chowder from his shack but his shack was destroyed by Hurricane King in 1950. Thomas Grady and Leo Edward, two of Eddie's fishing buddies, built their own shack in 1937. Calvert Club was the first social club to be built in Stiltsville in the 1930's. In 1940, Commodore Edward Turner built the Quarterdeck Club. Membership was $150 and by invitation only. The club was damaged by Hurricane King and although it was rebuilt it never regained it's original popularity. Through the 1940's and 1950's Stiltsville became known as the place to party. In the 1950's and 60's more established lodges were built which included the Leshaw House with its Mansard roof; the Baldwin, Sessions & Shaw House, and the Ellensburg. At it's peak in 1960, Stiltsville contained 27 structures. In 1962, a colorful and sketchy entrepreneur named Harry Churchville, also known as Pierre, grounded a 150-foot yacht named Jeff in the mudflats of Stiltsville and called it the Bikini Club. He turned the boat into a social club that sold alcoholic beverages and offered free drinks to women in bikinis. The club was raided by the Florida Beverage Commission in the summer of 1965, and closed down for selling liquor without a license. Hurricane Betsy damaged it and in 1966, what remained burned down. After Hurricane Betsy in 1965, the state of Florida required building owners to pay $100 annually to lease their homes. No permits for new construction were issued, and if a structure sustained more than 50-percent damage it could not be rebuilt. Building codes were implemented and the state banned commercial operations after 1969. In June of 1980 Congress expanded the boundaries of Biscayne National Park to include Stiltsville. At the beginning of 1992, there were 14 structures present at Stiltsville but after Hurricane Andrew struck on August 24, 1992, only seven buildings survived and were still standing by July 1, 1999 when the state of Florida issued a notice that all remaining structures would be taken down. The park service told home owners that they could no longer renew their lease and to prevent the houses from being taken down they should pursue having the homes placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The houses were denied placement because they were not old enough. A petition drive was started and more than 75,000 people asked that Stiltsville be spared causing the Park Service to reverse it's decision. In 2003, an agreement was reached to establish a non-profit organization called the Stiltsville Trust. The agreement is intended to preserve the structures so they can be used to educate people about the marine resources in Biscayne National Park. The park has a cooperative agreement with the Trust to maintain the buildings and provide educational and interpretive programs. Public access to the structures themselves is by permit only. Today there are seven remaining houses none of which are from Stiltsville heyday: Jimmy Ellenburg House, A-Frame House, Baldwin, Sessions & Shaw House, Leshaw House, Bay Chateau, Hicks House, and the Miami Springs Power Boat Club. You can rent a kayak from Bill Baggs State Park and paddle out to see the structures. HistoryMiami Museum also offers a popular tour of Stiltsville with it's resident Historian Dr. Paul George who recounts story behind Stiltsville and the history of the area. It usually sells out and the next one is on June 20 for $60 for non members of the museum. Stiltsville is a one of a kind place with an undeniable charm. That fact that it has survived at all through the years of hurricanes is amazing. I am so glad that the park service finally got behind preserving these treasures. In the future I hope to attend one of the tours or educational programs offered by the Park service. read more

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This quintessential relic of Miami has withstood the rest of time (somewhat) and ultimately remained as one of the last untouched architectural wonders in Dade county. This village is located roughly a mile or two off the shore of Key Biscayne and has been a favorite of those exploring via boat through the Biscayne Bay. Only a fraction of the structures are still standing and are no longer privately owned therefore it's a "mírame pero no me toques" ordeal when admiring them. All local Miami natives have plenty of stories of their days of tying their boat to one of these houses and feeling the exhilarating feel of trespassing; even if it was just for a moment. Nowadays, the City of Miami owns them and they are operated by the Firefighters and Police Union offering them access to their docks. Passing by here on the boat is always a visual treat because it reminds me of how fortunate I am to live in such a slice of paradise that I never get tired of. The hurricanes in the past decades have surely done a number on them but the few left standing are worth admiring before they're gone. read more

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Miami's premiere boating destination. Monument island is too crowded and rude people have their annoying music turned up way to loud. Eliot Key is usually swarming with mosquitoes during the season. Where to go by boat in Miami? If you have a friend that is a member of the association, the answer is Stiltsville. ***Note *** If you aren't a member or the guest of member, your ass and your boat ain't dockin' here. They are serious. But if you can get an invite, it is really quiet magical. The association does rent, but that is some serious money you need to cough up: I mean starting around $1,000. This past Sunday we threw a surprise 30th birthday party for my best friend Maria. (some of you know her as everyones favorite CM ;) ) They have a kitchen, bathrooms, grill, rope swing, slide, plenty of picnic tables and plenty of dock. All on stilts suspended over the ocean. Its beautiful, semiprivate, and so postcard Miami. read more

Stiltsville - The main house - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Miami, Florida

Great place to visit and to take house guests that is low cost and quintessentially Miami. I have sailed and kayaked here twice, both times different experiences. The houses, excepted for the one private maintained house, are a haven for birds. The birds are there for the fish and they make interesting watching if you are passing time. They also poop all over the place and you have to keep an eye out to make sure you are not in the drop zone. I kayaked out from Bill Bags State Park, it was an easy three mile paddle over shallow water. During low tide the water was no more than six inches deep. That means that the course was free of those obnoxious Miami motorboats that do not know the rules of the road. The houses at Stiltsville provide convenient places to tie up for lunch, wait out a storm or as a base of activities. Two other kayaks and a family on a motorboat joined us for lunch on the house and it was reallly cool being friendly with strangers in Miami; a unique experience in itself. NOTE: The houses are posted no trespassing and the Miami Police have the authority to cite you. The water around the houses is shallow enough in places to wade around and search for conch shells or chillax. Crossing the main boating channel can be difficult and dangerous depending on tides and wind. The channel is only one hundred meters long, but it can be a sprint with multiple large high speed boats coming from both directions, with large wakes in between. There is great fishing here due to the structure around and below the houses. You can see schools of fish under the docks and the water was crystal clear. Snorkeling would be great here, especially for beginners. The water is shallow in places and no deeper than ten feet under the houses. Check the special fishing rules for Biscayne National Park. I do know that spear fishing is not allowed; which is a big temptation with the fish just a few feet from you and they are not biting. Taking Conch shells back is also prohibited, so put them back after you take your picture. Sailing in a keelboat to Stiltsville requires a navigational chart to ensure that you do not go aground. If you are invited to a party at the association house, make sure you get the detailed docking instructions. All of the other houses are too shallow to dock at with a keel boat. I don't know if it would be possible to moor outside the channel and use a dinghy. It is a good location to sail to on a week day where the channel is not busy. Depending on the winds you may have to tack one direction through the channel, which is problematic with the boat traffic. The activities there and scenery make for a nice sailing destination. Other activities here include lobstering, jet ski, kite boarding, and power boating. read more

Postcard perfect doesn't do Stiltsville justice. I'd always read, known, and heard about Stiltsville. Once a place known for its hay day of partying and straight out of Miami's glittery past. I had never been up close and personal with this local landmark and then for my 30th birthday my friends gave me the best gift possible, an experience, an amazing experience at that. As we docked at the beautiful stilt house I was already impressed. Then upon heading upstairs I discovered the living room, full kitchen and 20 of my closest friends armed with cameras. The rest of the day was beautiful, there wasn't a cloud in the sky or a dry person amongst our group thanks to the slide and the rope that dropped us into the crystal clear waters of Biscayne Bay. It was in and out of the water for hours and suddenly 30 looked more like 12 and felt more like heaven. This is a slice of a long-lost Miami from a simpler time full of spectacular 360 degree views and long days spent on the water. If you're fortunate enough to find yourself at this magical place I suggest never looking at your phone, not spending even one minute thinking about work, and instead taking millions of photos and staying in the moment as long as possible. read more

I've been to the A-Frame house a number of times, I used to be neighbors with the son of the man who built it. Miami is a big, busy city with constant police sirens and traffic and pollution and general ugliness. But for those who know where to look, there are small pockets of paradise that remind you of Miami's geographic location, the tropics. Stiltsville is one of those places. It's difficult to articulate how it feels to be out there, knowing that so many terrible things are happening so close to you but you're sheltered from them. It's like a mental safe-haven. read more

Lots of words could describe Stiltsville: beautiful, historical, amazing, epic, awesome. The word I want to use is heavenly, which is what my last trip out there was. We went out for surprise birthday party for a friend, who hadn't been yet. We got lucky that my brother-in-law is friends with a member of one of the house, since you're not allowed to use the house if you aren't. Because the houses are build on the flats you don't have to worry about tides or currents messing up your swimming, and there is normally a strong enough breeze to keep you cool. read more

I guess back in the old days, Stiltsville was just a place to drop anchor and escape the Miami hustle and drink beer. Now, it's a kiteboard paradise...a shallow water playground without any crowds. You need a boat to get there....it was funny to see all the beautiful boats anchored there just so the owners can kiteboard. It's a lot more fun than just cruising around burning gas read more

Stiltsville - Stiltsville - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Miami, Florida

We had a really enjoyable family meal here. The atmosphere is excellent, service was great, and all of our meals were fresh with bright flavors. Even the kid's meal was yummy and a good portion. We will definitely be back! read more

IT sucks that they dont restore it.. there even used to be a grounded house boat there that was a burger joint.. unfortunately after andrew about 5 houses dissapeared.... read more

rich in history, stiltsville is one of those places locals cherish with all their heart. it started in the 30's as a bunch of fishing shacks, turned into a big gambling spot, a bar with nude sunbathing, a tourist destination, and now a local party spot. it's impressive to say the least. if your lucky enough to have a boat in miami... i'm sure you already know about this place. if not, make friends with someone who does have a boat...NOW! 1 mile off the coast. water all around you. and this colorful little village of houses appears like a dream out in the middle of the water. floating. for more images & history, check out UM's photo project on stiltsville http://viscom.miami.edu/stiltsville/ they're now owned by the national park service and you need permission to climb onto the structures, but they're still a site to see. read more

Stiltsville is amazing! I visited a few months ago and made a short film. It shows a lot of the houses up close. You can check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noHsbrF9tGk read more

Screw the Gables, screw the Grove, Cocoplum, Overtown, Kendall, you can burn them all down, Stiltsville is the ultimate suburb! If only they weren't just waiting for it to fall apart, I'd almost consider living in this crazy city. Like something out of a Salvador Dali painting, Stiltsville rises out of the water of Biscayne National Park like a hypnagogic daydream induced by too much sun and beer... perfect. read more