Have you ever heard the term chickee hut? If you haven’t, probably you’ve heard of the similar term tiki hut. These two terms are similar but have significant differences, which later we’ll discuss. So, today we’ll give you a detailed answer to what is a chickee hut. I was surprised at the history behind the chickee hut, its cultural heritage, and the Native American origin of this beautiful feature.
As you know, tiki huts have been a popular feature in businesses like beachfront resorts, hotels & restaurants.
Grab your margarita and sit to read about the history, heritage & modern use of this beautiful wooden structure!
What Is a Chickee Hut?
What is a chickee hut? The word Chickee means “house” in Mikasuki languages spoken by the Native American Tribes of Florida, Seminoles and Miccosukees. This is a shelter with a cypress log frame, a raised wood floor, a palm thatched roof, and open sides.
That’s right. The exotic chickee huts you now see at resorts, hotels & restaurants have a Native American origin.
Chickees are also known as stilt houses or platform dwellings. The original design of the chickee hut includes a wood platform floor raised about 3 feet off the ground for protection from flooding and animals.
Seminole Indians used to tie up palm fronds with vines or thin ropes. As a result, they created a waterproof roof.
One of the things that also characterize chickees is that they don’t have any plumbing, electrical, or other nonwooden features.
Tiki Hut vs Chickee: What’s the Difference?
They do have the same cypress log frame, open sides, and the palm thatched roof. Yet, these two terms don’t mean the same. The main difference is that a chickee hut has a raised, platform wooden floor, and the tiki hut doesn’t.
Thus, the raised wooden floor makes the chickee the perfect dock for small boats and yates. And near the shore, chickees add luxury to your property.
The Native American Origin of the Chickee Hut
The first Seminoles that lived in North Florida in the early 1800s used to build cabin-type homes. Some of these log cabins were two stories tall.
But the lives of many Native Americans would change forever in 1823 when the Treaty of Moultrie Creek was signed. This treaty stated that the Seminole Indians were required to leave northern Florida.
Under the command of Andrew Jackson, U.S troops were pushing the Seminole Tribe on their pursuit to conquer Florida. In 1829, Jackson became the 7th President of the United States.
One year later, Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act. With this, U.S troops forcibly relocated the Native American Tribes of Florida to Indian Territory.
The pursuit to throw away the Seminoles from their lands and territories resulted in the three Seminole Wars (1817–18, 1835–42, 1855–58).
So, during this period, the Seminole Tribe could no longer rely on their log cabins, which had features like walls and sleeping quarters. Instead, they needed an easy-to-build and disposable shelter because they were always running away from U.S troops.
Each chickee was built differently to serve a purpose. So, there was a dedicated structure for cooking, sleeping, and eating.
There were about eight to ten chickees in one Seminole camp. And this camp type community was the refuge for the Seminole Tribe when pursued by U.S troops.
And this is how the design of the chickee hut became the go-to shelter option for Seminoles.
Modern Use: Building Chickees Is a Good Business in Florida!
The Seminole Tribe used chickee huts as a disposable shelter. Nobody uses chickees for housing, except for the Seminole Tribe relocated in the Everglades, Florida.
But one thing is for sure: chickee huts haven’t been forgotten. They have become an essential feature of beachfront resorts and hotels in Florida.
Chickees Built by Seminole Tribe Members Are Exempt from Florida Building Code
According to Tampa Bay Newspapers, in the 1990s, the federal government signed a treaty with Native American Indian Tribes. This treaty allows members of the state’s Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes to build chickee/tiki huts without local building permits.
So, Seminole Indians now enjoy an exemption of Florida Building Code to build chickee huts provided the structure doesn’t include plumbing, electrical, or concrete features.
If one member of the Seminole Tribe builds a chickee hut, this construction is unrestricted by zoning and permitting. Thus, this is a good business for this Native American Tribe.
In recent years, building chickees has become popular in Florida. So, businesses like Sunshine Tiki Huts Corp. use this to make a living and at the same time keep Florida’s heritage from the Seminole Tribe.
And as you know, there are always people trying to take advantage of this exemption. Some people just build their tiki huts without permits because they feel like doing so. But they are not eligible for this right. And if the local government finds out, they will be fined.
Even some tiki hut builders build these structures claiming to have a right to the exemption. So, beware when you are planning to build a tiki hut in your business.
Make sure the person building has the permit or have your chickee hut built by a Seminole Tribe member.
Chickee Huts Are the Ideal Feature for Beach Resorts, Restaurants & Hotels!
Chickee huts are seen as a tropical feature that enhances the vacation atmosphere for tourists and travelers.
In South Florida, chickee huts have become a popular tropical feature for hotels, restaurants, beach resorts, and even poolside features.
Also, the addition of chickees has proven to attract visitors. Chickees are an essential part of the architecture of some of Florida’s finest beachfront hotels & resorts.
Hope you liked our article. We know you’re considering tiki hut construction to improve the ambiance in your business. So, it’s a plus that you now know what is a chickee hut, its rich history, and heritage for Florida.
Remember to count on a professional company for your chickee huts. Sunshine Tiki Huts Corp. always gets permits from the local government to build your chickee hut. So, you can trust us.