Miami’s first floating red light district started with one fisherman’s bait shack in 1933

Stiltsville

Seven wooden houses on stilts stand in the shallow waters of Biscayne Bay, one mile south of Cape Florida. The first structures appeared in the early 1930s, though some local historians claim shacks existed on “the flats” as early as 1922.

These unusual homes sit on wood or concrete legs about ten feet above water that’s only 1-3 feet deep at low tide. You can only reach them by boat, and they’re the last survivors of a once-bustling offshore community.

Crawfish Eddie Builds The First Shack

A man called “Crawfish” Eddie Walker built the first recorded stilt shack in 1933 as Prohibition was ending. He sold bait and beer to fishermen who passed by.

His famous dish was a spicy crawfish soup called “chilau” made from shellfish caught under his raised home. Being one mile offshore was smart because gambling was legal there, away from Miami police.

By 1937, Eddie’s fishing friends Thomas Grady and Leo Edward built their own shacks nearby, starting the community.

The Calvert Club Draws High Society

Miami’s rich and famous discovered Stiltsville when the Calvert Club opened in the late 1930s. The remote fishing spot quickly became a playground for wealthy people looking for fun away from the mainland.

The Miami Beach Rod & Reel Club held their first gathering at the Calvert Club in August 1938. The place became so popular that gift shops sold postcards with its picture. Wealthy visitors would arrive by boat to party far from the city.

The Quarterdeck Club Becomes Famous

Commodore Edward Turner built the Quarterdeck Club on a barge in November 1940. To join, you needed an invitation and $150 – a large sum back then.

Unlike simple fishing shacks, this club had a bar, lounge, dining room, and spots to dock fancy boats. The club became nationally known when Life magazine wrote about it in February 1941.

Local papers shared stories about celebrity parties there, making tourists eager to see this floating club during their Miami vacations.

Stiltsville Reaches Peak Size

By 1960, the collection of buildings on the flats grew to 27 structures. During the 1940s and 1950s, Miami’s important people – lawyers, bankers, politicians – came to relax away from public view.

Even Florida Governor LeRoy Collins visited often in the 1950s. He stayed with Jimmy Ellenburg, who set up his place near Crawfish Eddie’s in 1939.

People called Ellenburg the unofficial mayor of Stiltsville because he knew everyone and welcomed important guests.

Blue-Collar Workers Join The Community

In the late 1950s, twelve working men from the Miami Springs Power Boat Club bought a sunken barge for just $1. They fixed it up, towed it to Stiltsville, and built a clubhouse with docks.

Unlike the fancy clubs nearby, their Springs House welcomed everyone. Boy Scout troops and community groups often visited to fish and have fun.

This building later became one of the seven structures that survived to today, partly because they added concrete supports.

The Bikini Club Brings Scandal

In 1962, a shady businessman named Harry “Pierre” Churchville ran a 150-foot yacht called Jeff aground in the shallow water. He turned it into the Bikini Club, a place that gave free drinks to women wearing swimsuits.

The club had a deck for nude sunbathing and private rooms for rent with no questions asked. Churchville also caught lobster illegally to serve at his club. These activities soon caught the attention of law enforcement.

Hurricane Betsy Destroys Most Buildings

Hurricane Betsy hit South Florida on September 8, 1965, with winds of 120 mph. The storm pushed an eleven-foot wall of water across the flats, wiping out most buildings.

The Bikini Club, already in trouble with the law, was badly damaged. Earlier that summer, police had shut it down for selling alcohol without a license and having illegal lobster.

What remained of the infamous club burned down completely in 1966.

New Rules Change The Community

After Hurricane Betsy, only seventeen buildings remained. Florida officials created strict new rules. Starting in August 1965, owners had to pay $100 yearly to lease their spots.

The state banned new building permits. Structures damaged more than halfway couldn’t be rebuilt, ensuring fewer buildings over time.

By 1969, all businesses were banned in Stiltsville. The wild party days ended, and the area became just weekend homes for private owners.

Biscayne National Park Expansion Includes Stiltsville

In June 1980, Congress made Stiltsville part of Biscayne National Park by expanding the park’s boundaries. Five years later, in 1985, Florida gave the underwater land to the federal government.

The National Park Service agreed to honor existing leases that had been renewed in 1976 for $300 yearly. These leases were set to end on July 1, 1999.

This change put Stiltsville under federal protection, completely changing its future.

Hurricane Andrew Leaves Only Seven Houses

Early in 1992, fourteen buildings with active leases still stood at Stiltsville. Disaster struck on June 24 when one house collapsed during a party with 150 people. Luckily, no one died.

Two months later, powerful Hurricane Andrew hit on August 24, 1992. This Category 5 storm, the strongest since Hurricane Betsy, tore through Biscayne Bay.

When the winds died down, only seven structures remained standing – the same seven that exist today.

Visiting Stiltsville at Biscayne National Park

You’ll find Stiltsville in Biscayne National Park, about a mile off Key Biscayne. To see these historic houses up close, you must go by boat.

The Biscayne National Park Institute offers guided tours from Coconut Grove’s Dinner Key Marina, where rangers share stories about Crawfish Eddie and the infamous Bikini Club. Public access requires permits, as these structures remain fragile.

Read More on WhenInYourState.com:

• Florida’s Launch Pad 39A and the 9 Minutes That Changed the World in 1969
• The Historic Florida Ballpark Where Jackie Robinson Broke Baseball’s Color Barrier
• The Beautiful Florida Island Made Famous by a Fake Pirate