Pasco County Stilt Homes, A Piece of Florida History

If you’ve ever been off the coast of Port Richey, you’ve probably passed by condominium buildings, elegant homes and clumps of mangrove trees. You might have even seen a house in the middle of the ocean, and no, you weren’t imagining it. What you might have saw is one of the historical stilt homes of Pasco County.

The eight structures that dot the gulf are lovely reminders of Florida’s past. Working fishermen built these structures as camps above the water to store the mullet they caught and to seek shelter during storms. All these stilt homes are privately owned and have been grandfathered in. Unfortunately, no new structures may be built but damaged ones can be repaired depending on the condition of the remaining structure.

There use to be 24 stilt homes that filled the skyline. The first homes were built in the early 20th century. When hurricane Gladys came through, most of them were destroyed. The state then began to control the structures, pinpointing the locations and holding leases to the underwater land.

The structures have no electricity or plumbing. They are more so a basic shelter than a home. While the public is not allowed onto the homes, boaters are more than welcome to cruise around the camps to admire the unique properties.