Aloha to Key Biscayne - Stiltsville, Sailboats, and Coconuts

 

I found this display a short walk from the Cape Florida Lighthouse, "Homes that hover".  From the National Park Service (link),

Seeming to float above Biscayne Bay's shallow seagrass beds, Stiltsville has a colorful history that dates back to the 1930s, when "Crawfish Eddie Walker" built the first shack on stilts above the water. Over the years more buildings were constructed, and the area took on an aura of mystery. Accessible only by water, the area was the place to see and be seen when visiting the winter resorts on nearby Miami Beach. Stories of illegal alcohol and gambling led to several police raids on the Bikini Club and Quarterdeck Club. At its peak in 1960, there were 27 structures on the flats, but hurricanes, fires and the ravages of being in such an exposed place made every building relatively short-lived.

Creative Commons (link)

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 help showcase the richness of the Biscayne National Park's marine resources. The Park has a cooperative agreement with the Trust to rehabilitate the buildings to support educational and interpretive services. Possible uses include community meeting spaces, a National Park Service Visitor Center, research facilities, an artist-in-residence program and satellite park offices that could provide the National Park Service with a presence closer to South Florida's population center in the northern part of the park.

Sailboats enjoy the aqua blue open sea.

The Cape Florida Lighthouse guards over the golden sand.

Downtown Miami looms in the distance. If you could live in Stiltsville, what would you call your home? One randomly selected commenter from this week's blog posts wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Saturday, May 28, 10 pm in Baltimore. I'll post the winner on Sunday, May 29 at SOS Aloha.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City