Although the NPS claims to have no legal device to provide new leases and wants to issued a mandatory removal of all structures, there are established laws, such as the National Omnibus Management Act of 1998, that enable the NPS to enter into leases with private parties.
The Stiltsville homeowners are appealing the denial of Stiltsville's placement in the National Register of Historic Places. There are over 2,000 structures that were less than 50 years old when placed in the National Register. Of those, 30% are there for cultural reasons only. Stiltsville more than qualifies.
The community support for recognizing Stiltsville as a South Florida "water"mark is mounting. You can support Stiltsville by Signing the Online Petition.
• Click here for
information on National Park Service Leasing Programs
• Click here to see a similar house on Florida's West Coast
that is privately owned, is listed in the
National Registry of Historic Places, and just had its lease renewed for 20 years.
•
Click here to see the seven Stiltsville houses.
| • Why Is Stiltsville Historic? | • Who Supports Stiltsville? | |
| • Why Is Stiltsville Unique? | • How Can You Help? |
- The Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources and Miami-Dade County Historic Preservation Board unanimously recommended that Stiltsville be listed on the National Historic Register.
- Stiltsville has the support of the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation and Dade Heritage Trust, Miami-Dade County's largest historic preservation organization
- Biscayne National Park's own cultural resource specialist, Jim Adams, wrote in a paper in 1996 titled, The History of Stiltsville, that, "Stiltsville has a unique and colorful history. The sixty years that Stiltsville has existed may not seem long in one respect. When you consider that the City of Miami is only now celebrating its centennial, and when placed in context with the development of Miami Beach and the resort period, which began in earnest in 1916, Stiltsville has always been a part of Miami's history."
- Stiltsville historic district documented by NOAA photography in 1945 to be over 50 years old. Individual structures in exact locations for over fifty years.
- Stiltsville historic district began in the 1920’s and at its height in the 1950's haut 27 structures. “Crawfish” Eddie Walker became a legendary Stiltsville figure.
- The Quarter Deck Club built in 1940’s and featured in Life Magazine in 1941.
- By 1945, twelve houses and two clubs existed.
- Because of Hurricanes Donna, Betsy and Andrew, only seven houses remain today in the Stiltsville district.
- The
existing seven homes are regularly part of the Historical Association
of Southern Florida historic tours.
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- Distinctive architectural facades - bright colored, wood frame buildings resting on a foundation of steel reinforced piling submerged in the Biscayne Flats and surrounded on all sides by Biscayne Bay.
- Unique design and engineering features which have been adapted to meet the rigors of a maritime and hurricane prone area.
- Exotic backdrop for many television shows, movies, books and advertisements over the years including “Miami Vice” and Carl Hiaasen’s “Skin Tight."
- Used for navigational guidance, fishing areas and shelter
during storms by the general boating public.
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- Petitions from the community - over 55,000 signatures received
- The Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources unanimously recommended Stiltsville historic district for the National Register of Historical Places on August 29, 1998
- Florida Trust for Historic Preservation
- Miami Dade County Historic Preservation Board
- Dade Heritage Trust
- US Senator Bob Graham's letter to the Secretary of the Interior
- US Senator Connie Mack's letter to the Secretary of the Interior
- US Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
- US Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart
- US Representative Carrie Meek
- US Representative E. Clay Shaw
- US Representative Alcee Hastings
- Florida Governor Jeb Bush
- Florida House of Representatives
- Miami-Dade County Commission
- City of Miami
- City of Miami Beach
- City of Coral Gables
- City of Hialeah Gardens
- City of Homestead
- City of Miami Springs
- City of South Miami
- City of West Miami
- Village of Key Biscayne
- City of Sweetwater
- City of Virginia Gardens
- City of Opa-Locka
- The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce have had outings since 1941
- Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce
- Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
- The Marine Council
- Miami Beach Rod and Reel Club going out to Stiltsville since 1938
- University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
- University of Miami Citizen's Board
- Coconut Grove Times Editorial
- Miami Daily Business Review
- South Florida Letter Carriers Branch 1071
- The Rotary Club
- Coral Gables Community Foundation
- Dade County Firemen's Benevolent Association
- Boy Scouts of America, South Florida Troop
- Girl Scouts of America, South Florida Troop
- Arva Moore Parks, noted Florida historian
- Becky Matkov, noted Florida historian
- Margot Ammidown, former director of Dade's historic preservation dept.
- Dr. Paul George, noted Florida historian
- Ambassador Richard Capen, former publisher of the Miami Herald
- Alfred Browning Parker, Distinguished Professor of Architecture, Univ. of FL
- Susan Claire-Lauredo, architect and writer
- Les Standiford, writer
- Caren Rabbino, writer
- John Underwood, writer
- Carl Hiaasen
- Carol Garvin, artist
- Alan S. Maltz, photographer
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How can you help? - Contact the following people asking:
1.) that Stiltsville be
added to the National Register of Historic Places,
2.) and that the National Parks Service extend the existing
leases for another 25 years.
- Senator Bob Graham,
524 Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington, DC, 20510
PH# 202-224-3041
E-mail: bob_graham@graham.senate.gov - Senator Connie Mack,
517 Hart Senate Office BIdg., Washington, DC, 20510
PH# 202-224-5274
E-mail: connie@mack.senate.gov - Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Rayburn House Office Bldg. Room
2240, Washington, DC 20515
PH# 202-225-3931. - Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Cannon House Office BIdg. Room 404,
Washington, DC, 20515
PH# 202-225-4211. - Representative Carrie P. Meek, Cannon House Office Bldg. Room 401,
Washington, DC, 20515
PH# 202-225-4506. - Governor Jeb Bush, The Capitol, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
PH# 850-488-4441
E-mail: flgovernor@eog.state.fl.us - Ms.
Marilyn Harper, National Register of Historic Places, Dept. of Interior, P.O. Box 37127,
Washington, DC. 20013.
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You can contact us at info@stiltsville.org