History of the Ringling House

The principal entrance to the house is through the double doors of the front porch. This pair of doors opens into a vestibule measuring approximately eleven feet by five feet. The floor is inset with 3/4 inch glazed white tiles with a Greek key design in red forming a border, typical of a Ferry & Clas design. The interior door arrangement mirrors the outer doors, the second pair of glazed doors flanked by sidelights opens into the main hall.

The central hall (measuring ll’l” x 27’8″) provides access to the principal rooms of the house. At the head of the hall is the main staircase to the second floor. The landing contains a large triple window in a leaded floral design. The ceiling of the hall contains nine, transverse false beams in oak above a dentilled frieze. 

At the staircase end, a larger transverse beam supporting the landing rests on elaborately carved oak brackets. The free side of the staircase, the small panel between the two flights, and the underside of the upper flight are paneled in the same oak with simple moldings. The turned balusters and the molded handrail terminate in a square fluted newel at the base. A chair rail runs around the hall and continues up the stairs. 

The wall beneath it is of the original painted canvas. Below the upper flight of stairs is a paneled oak door with inset glazing. It provides access by one step to a lower rear hall, which contains to the right a cloakroom and a toilet, and to the left a step up to the library. At the back of the hall is a paneled oak door leading to the porte-cochere.