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Stiltsville houses survived Hurricane Irma

By Amy Reyes

One of Miami’s most curious and most iconic architectural enclaves, the seven remaining houses of Stiltsville, are still standing after Hurricane Irma blew through South Florida. 

Read More: HistoryMiami’s Stiltsville Tour is an Only in Miami Experience

The houses, all built on stilts in the shallows of Biscayne Bay, are a part of the National Park Service but are maintained by the Stiltsville Trust, a group of assigned “caretakers” who act as stewards of the properties. Biscayne National Park, where the houses are located, tweeted out assurances that, though battered a bit, the houses are still “standing strong.”  

The pictured house, the Bay Chateau, appears to have sustained damage to its roof, and Biscayne National Park reported that docks and railings were also affected, but the remaining houses survived. Hurricanes Betsy and Andrew both took their toll on the Stiltsville houses, which numbered 27 at their peak in the 1960s. By the time Hurricane Andrew blew through Miami in 1992, there were 14 left, half of which Andrew toppled. 

The remaining houses of Stiltsville have to weather any upcoming storms because though the Stiltsville Trust is tasked with maintaining and repairing, new construction is not permitted.  

Florida Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen tweeted about the conditions of Stiltsville as she did a flyover on Monday to assess the damages throughout Miami-Dade county. 

Looks like Stiltsville dodged another one. 

This story was originally published September 21, 2017 at 7:09 AM with the headline "Stiltsville houses survived Hurricane Irma."

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