Florida's Stiltsville: Unusual places to see before they disappear

Biscayne Bay, Florida, is an extremely diverse area which includes a large national park and an unusual set of houses perched above the water, a collection of buildings called 'Stiltsville'.

These structures date back to the 1930s. The first was built as a food and gambling shack, and it was soon joined by a number of exclusive clubs for the wealthy, including the Social Deck in the 1940s and the Bikini Club in the 1960s, both of which were eventually raided by the police.

See also: $1million of treasure found off Florida coast

According to the USA's National Park Service, the community peaked at 27 stilted houses in the Sixties, but due to fires and national disasters, only seven remain today.

The land has become part of Biscayne National Park and an agreement was eventually reached with the owners to make the structures into educational purposes.

Boat tours are often offered around Stiltsville, but gaining entry to the buildings requires a national permit.

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