[Photo of the terrace of the Cà d'Zan mansion by Hans Olav Lien (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons]

 

Newcomers to Sarasota notice right off the bat that we tend to use the name “Ringling” a lot around here. After founding the world-renowned circus with his four brothers in the late 19th century, John Ringling established Sarasota as his winter headquarters and did much to carve out the area's unique culture. Although we didn't name any of our cities after him (as in Montana and Oklahoma, where his railroads helped build towns), Ringling's influence on Sarasota can be marked in a number of important ways.

For starters, just north of the gorgeous Indian Beach and Sapphire Shores neighborhoods, there's the John and Mable

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Although the beaches hold incredible appeal for people who want to live on the Gulf Coast, there is also a great allure in the charm of Old Florida. Even the words “old Florida” conjure images of large oak trees with Spanish moss tinsel and sipping lemonade on the porch. If you're interested in simpler days, before the world got so consumed with hustling and bustling, perhaps you'll want to consider life in one of these Old Florida homes.

Starting with the oak trees, the mature landscaping at 1336 46th Street in Sarasota surrounds the main house and guest apartment/studio. In the midst of this canopied, fenced-in oasis, the main house has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, central air, and wood laminate flooring, while the guest apartment is a 15' x 23' open

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