As difficult as it is for the Lake brothers to pick a favorite photo, picking a favorite memory of their family stilt house may be even tougher.
“Birthdays out there for my daughter, my brother-in-law, he had an engagement party out there,” said Brian Lake. “The peacefulness at nighttime. It’s just so nice and calm and beautiful.”
Brian and his older brother, Greg, flipped through photos on their cell phones while overlooking the open water. Off in the distance, around a half mile away, stood the still-charred posts of the stilt house their family owned for generations.
Photos: Pasco County's historic stilt homes
“We lost something big,” said Greg. “The phone calls and the support was overwhelming.”
Stilt houses have been around for over a century. They were originally built for local fisherman as a refuge from storms and a place to clean their daily catches. The stilt houses have become very important to the locals in and around Pasco County on Florida’s west coast.
The Lakes' stilt house was struck by lightning Aug. 26. It completely burned within an hour. Years of hard work were gone. So, too, was the neighbors' patriotic symbol in the sea.
“It was really well known around here because of the flag,” said Brian. He and his wife painted the American flag on the north and south walls. Boaters came to know their home as “the flag stilt house”.
Now, it’s gone.
That doesn’t mean the memories are over.
“There are worse things in life. Way worse,” said Greg. “We had a house out on the water and fortunately we can rebuild it and it will be bigger, better, and we’ll build new memories!”
10News will chronicle the Lake family’s efforts to rebuild its beloved stilt home. Check back for stories on the progress throughout October and November. The family hopes to complete the project by Thanksgiving.
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