The Caples Estate <built by Ralph and Ellen Caples> is the smallest and southern most estate in the district. Entrance to the estate is through a simple iron gate with masonry gateposts. A gravel road leads to the main house. Lush plantings along the original north and south property lines separate the estate from its neighbors. The Caples Estate has only three structures, the Caples residence, a garage and guest  house, and a storage shed. Although presently used by New College as a science building, the residence and outbuildings have undergone minor alterations since they were constructed in the late 1920's. 

The buildings on the Caples Estate are in the Mediterranean Revival Style, and exhibit architectural characteristics indicative of the style, e. g. picturesque massing, red tiled roofs, and stuccoed exteriors. The main two-story residence is U-shaped with the open courtyard / patio facing the bay and a service wing extending at an angle from he northeast corner. The building has a tiled, hip roof. Fenestration is regular and is composed of trefoil arched and square-headed windows. an open L-shaped arcaded loggia runs along the west (bay) and south side of the courtyard. The interior of the Caples house has two living rooms, a dining room (with coved ceiling) a sun porch, four bedrooms, and four baths.

Immediately to the east of the residence is a two-story stuccoed masonry garage and apartment. This building is connected to the residence by a masonry wall. The three bay garage also has a tiled, hip roof. Fenestration is regular and is composed of square headed windows. The car bays are arcaded. A small two-bay stuccoed masonry storage shed stands to the west of the garage.  The Caples Estate as described in the documents for National Register of Historic Places Inventory--the Caples'Ringling Estates Historic District dated October 1980.

Ralph C. Caples 1872-1949

The arrival of Ralph Caples in Sarasota in 1899 on a delayed honeymoon provided the transition for the growth and development of Sarasota. At that time, he was  a city passenger agent for the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad Company. Caples liked Sarasota and was well-aware of its potential. He also recognized the importance that a railroad would have to the city. Railroad lines extended only as far south as Tampa, so Caples embarked on a plan to make railroad access to Sarasota a reality. Along with T. C. Taliaferrro, President of the First National Bank of Tampa, Caples formed the Florida West Coast Railroad Company. The project was intended to be a highly kept secret, but the Seaboard Airline Railroad discovered Caples' plan. Suspicious of competition, the Seaboard rapidly began construction of its own line to Sarasota. Consequently, Caples abandoned his own plans. Nevertheless, Sarasota did acquire early railroad access to the north. Reaction was immediate; the town began to grow and real estate prices began to rise. Sarasota began to develop an identity as a winter tourist haven and the citizens envisioned the city becoming  "one of the most famed tourist towns in the world.." 

Caples joined the New York Central Railroad in 1905 and became its general agent in 1913. In 1913 he built the Caples Building in downtown Sarasota. He continued his involvement in Sarasota's development by investing in Sarasota real estate. For several years after his arrival, Sarasota was his winter home. (On July 20, 1909 Caples purchased the W. H. English home at Shell Beach and have been winter residents ever since.)

If Caples first major contribution to Sarasota was to provide the impetus for the extension of the railroad to Sarasota, his second major contribution was to persuade John and Charles Ringling to come to Sarasota and eventually make it their home and winter circus headquarters. The Ringlings were well aware of Sarasota's existence before 1900.A friend, Charles N. Thompson of the Sells-Forepaugh Circus had been convinced by several acquaintances who had invested in Sarasota real estate that he too should buy land in Sarasota. Thompson purchased 154 acres along Sarasota Bay in 1895, subdivided the land, and offered the lots for sale. W. H. English of the Wallace Brother Circus purchased one of the first lots.

The Ringlings were close friends of Thompson and he endeavored for several years to convince them that they should come to Sarasota. Thompson and Caples recognized the potential impact that the Ringling name could have on Sarasota's development. By 1911, they had convinced the Ringlings to come to Sarasota and in January 1912, John Ringling purchased the Thompson home from Ralph Caples (Caples had purchased the home from Thompson three months earlier). John then persuaded Charles Ringling to purchase the adjacent property. With the acquisition of this property, the Ringlings permanent association with the city of Sarasota began.

Throughout their lives, the Caples were active in the social, political and economic affairs of Sarasota. Caples advanced money to the city to create a waterfront park in 1937. He served as director of the Chamber of Commerce in 1925-26 and 1933. Caples also devoted the land for the city's first municipal airport in 1929. More importantly, he was instrumental in convincing the Ringlings to move the winter headquarters for the circus from Bridgeport, Connecticut to Sarasota in 1927. This he accomplished by "forgetting" a $16,000 note on the property that he provided as the new home for the circus. 

The Caples'- Ringlings' Estates Historic District is composed of the contiguous estates of John Ringling, Charles Ringling, and Ralph Caples. The physical connection of their estates is symbolic of the personal and professional relationships of these men. The estates physically perpetuate their legacies and attest to their significance in the history of Sarasota. 

Residence

Alfred Clas, who designed the Charles Ringling mansion, was reported to have designed the Caples Residence also. The Caples residence was similar in plan to the Charles Ringling residence and the John and Mabel Ringling Museum. Designed around three sides of a patio which opened to the bay, the two-story stuccoed masonry building contained tow living rooms, a dining room, a sun porch, four bedrooms and four baths, The dining room rose a full two-stories and had a coved ceiling.

The exterior exhibited many elements of the Mediterranean Revival style, including arched and square headed windows, and the familiar red tile hipped roof. The roof tiles were given to Caples by John Ringling and supposedly came from a building which had been demolished in Spain.

Immediately to the east of the residence and connected to it by a masonry wall was a two-story garage and apartment, also exhibiting Mediterranean Revival characteristics. A two-bay, one-story storage house stood east of the garage. the estate remained in the possession of the Caples family until the death of Mrs. Ellen Caples in 1971. Ralph Caples had died in 1949. Upon Mrs. Caples' death, the property was bequeathed to New College and presently serves as an environmental studies center.  End of information from the National Register of Historic Places Inventory.

Ellen Caples     1873- 1971

At the  Greatest Night on Earth Ringling
 Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus premiere 
for the benefit of New College January 8, 1965.

In 1962 she bequeathed her home and property to New College saying: "My home, which my husband and I built, as well as the land surrounding it, seems ideal for use with this educational institution. I am delighted that the identity of the home and land will be retained for such a worthy purpose."

Mrs. Caples was long considered Sarasota's First Lady because of her active support of the arts, music, theater and education until her death in 1971 at the age of 98.

She was a soloist for years of the First Presbyterian Church of New York.

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3/2001