Origin

The first stilt homes were built between 1916 and 1918 off the coast of Florida's Port Richey, according to a 2005 article in The Tampa Tribune. Florida locals call these houses "camps," referring to their beginnings as offshore fishing camps. People have speculated about which stilt house was built first, but the details behind the origin of these structures is largely unknown. According to the History of Pasco County website, there were 24 established stilt houses in the region by 1974.

Gladys

In October 1968, stilt home owners in the Gulf of Mexico learned a harsh lesson. Gladys was a tropical hurricane that developed off the coast of Cuba. The rain it brought broke the worst draught seen in North Carolina since 1932. According to the National Weather Service, the storm devastated the stilt houses built off the Florida coast. Prior to Gladys stilt homes were all homesteads. People could just pick a spot and build. After the storm, owners who could afford it were allowed to rebuild but the state prohibited the construction of additional stilt structures.

Stiltsville

According to Key Biscayne.com, a collection of stilt houses in Biscayne National Park stand as a testament to the days of prohibition. This group of less than two dozen stilt homes is referred to as Stiltsville and was built to provide a place to gamble consume alcohol. Throughout the 1980's further crime was committed here as the houses were used to ferry contraband cargo. After multiple attempts were made to tear these structures down, the state granted renewable 20 year leases to the owners of historic stilt homes.

21st-Century Stilt Homes

In the 21st century, the owners of these historic homes still rely on the 20-year leases granted by the state of Florida to keep their structures. They are used mainly as fishing destinations but other have been made into residences and even restaurants. When hurricane warnings are issued, stilt house owners board up, evacuate and hope for the best. Every so often the public hears of another stilt home loss. In 2006, a speeding power boat with no driver crashed into one of the stilt houses, and Florida's southernmost stilt house was destroyed in a fire in June 2010.