Sarasota's John Ringling Built Madison Square Garden III on 8th Ave NYC, Ringling Died in NYC Dec 2 1936.

By the mid-1920s, the Ringling Circus had some 700 horses and 50 elephants. John Ringling, the remaining brother, worked with Tex Rickard to build a new Madison Square Garden on 8th Ave between 49th and 50th streets. Sarasota's John Ringling Built Madison Square Garden III on 8th Ave between 49th and 50th Streets in Manhattan NYC in 1925. John Ringling Died in NYC Dec 2nd, 1936 at his home, he was 70. In the 1920's in New York City, Yankee Stadium may be the 'House that Ruth Built', but Madison Square Garden III is definitely the 'Garden That Ringling Built'. In reality if not for Sarasota's John Ringling Madison Square Garden (MSG III) would never have been built, he financed the deal and later became the principal owner and vice president of Madison Square Garden III. In May of 1922, the Yankees broke ground on their own ballpark, on 10 acres just across the Harlem River and in view of the Polo Grounds. The new ballpark was built quickly, as construction took under 11 months. The end result was Yankee Stadium, considered by many to be an architectural work of art for its time, with an arched façade that decorated the third deck and became its primary architectural signature. It was one of the first ballparks to be called a stadium and it was the first to feature three-tiered seating. 

John Ringling, John McGraw and Sarasota Baseball: Among the reasons Sarasota was fortunate to have John Ringling here were his many important connections. One of these, John J. McGraw, legendary manager of the formidable New York Giants baseball team, was convinced by John Ringling to come to Sarasota for spring training in 1924. Like the Yankees, the Giants were a juggernaut, having won the World Series in 1921 and 1922, and the National League pennant in 1923, and were avidly followed by sports fans around the nation. Teams like the Giants brought scribes from the major city newspapers giving the community much needed publicity. It was the beginning of the transformational land boom, and getting word out about Sarasota was important for men such as Ringling, who were heavily invested in real estate to sell.

Madison Square Garden (MSG III) was an indoor arena in New York City, the third bearing that name. Built in 1925 and closed in 1968, it was located on the west side of Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets in Manhattan, on the site of the city's trolley-car barns. New York Americans game program cover for hockey at Madison Square Garden, the third garden, known as Madison Square Garden III, was built on 50th Street and Eighth Avenue by boxing promoter Tex Rickard and John Ringling, Ringling fronted the money for the build from the fortunes he made in the railroad business. The New York Rangers got their name in a wordplay on Tex's name (e.g., Tex's Rangers). In 1925 John Ringling became the principal owner and vice president of Madison Square Garden III. It was built in 249 days on the site of the city's street car barns. This was the basis for the "Curse" that supposedly prevented the Rangers from winning the Stanley Cup again until 1994. While the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus had debuted at the Garden in 1919, the third garden saw large numbers of performances. The circus was so important to the Garden that when the Rangers played in the 1928 Stanley Cup Finals, the team was forced to play all games on the road (the Rangers won the series anyway). 

The circus would continue to perform as often as three times daily, repeatedly knocking the Rangers out of the Garden at playoff time, throughout the life of the third Garden. Even at the fourth Garden, games would have to begin as late as 9:00 p.m. to accommodate the circus. The Circus Acrobatics were very dramatic including acts in the Rings as well as on the high wire and trapeze. One dramatic act which was only performed in the Garden, and not taken on the road with the traveling Circus, involved Blinc Candlin, a Hudson, New York fireman, who rode his (already antique) 1880s High Wheel bicycle on the high wire every season for over 2 decades starting in the 1910s and running well through the 1930s.

Bill Warner Private Investigator Sarasota 941-926-1926 - Cheaters and Child Custody Cases at http://www.wbipi.com/

First Post Office On Siesta Key was Located Inside Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel Mail Delivered to Island by the Boat 'Siesta'

In July 1915 Harry Higel persuaded the U.S. government that Siesta Key needed a post office. First Post Office On Siesta Key Was Located Inside Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel, Mail Delivered to Island by the Boat 'Siesta'. See Harry Higel's billboard ad for "Choice Lots Siesta" to the left of shack on the waterfront dock linked to Higelhurst Hotel in photo above. Harry Higel operated the first Siesta Key Post Office inside the Higelhurst Hotel that Harry Higel had built in 1915. Tampa Tribune article of August 3rd, 1915 indicated the first Post Office on Siesta Key was located inside Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel. When Rube Allyn burned down the Hotel on March 30th, 1917 (arson) it was a Federal crime, why no investigation, where was the US Marshall? Margaret O'Berry of Tampa was the first postmistress at Siesta not Heey Higel who was way too busy with his Hotel and selling beach front lots. US GOVT: A post office was established on Siesta Key from July 16, 1915 to July 18, 1917 (2 year appointment) at Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel on the very north end of Gulfmead Dr on the island. Higelhurst Hotel was torched on Friday morn March 30th 1917 by Rube Allyn, four years later Allyn murdered Harry Higel on Friday morn January 7th 1921. 

First Post Office On Siesta Key was established by former Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel in July 1915, mail was delivered by the boat 'Siesta' to a pier connected to Higelhurst Hotel. Margaret O'Berry of Tampa was the first postmistress on Siesta Key in 1915. Harry Higel and his partners built the Yacht Club and got the US Corps of Engineers to dredge canals on Siesta.  

The Higelhurst Hotel in 1915 stood at the very north tip of Siesta Key on Gulfmead Dr, it had a land area of 43,000 square feet with 3 seawalls, one on Big Pass, one on Sarasota Bay and one on Bayou Louise. In 1907 Harry Higel and his partners owned, platted, and managed the town of Siesta, eighty acres on the north end of what was then Sarasota Key. 

In 1915 Harry Higel applied for the Siesta Post Office, Margaret O'Berry was appointed postmistress and Higel established the actual post office inside the Higelhurst Hotel. In the late 1890's and early 1900's it was not uncommon for a rural post office to be located inside a Hotel or secure building. Between 1911 and 1913, Bayou Hansen, Bayou Nettie, and Bayou Louise were dredged and canals were created. In 1912, Harry Higel's Gulf Bay Land Company re-platted “Siesta Key on the Gulf,” opened Hanson Bayou to Big Pass, and began building roads, sidewalks, and bungalows. 

Between 1900 and 1915 things were pretty rustic in Sarasota and Siesta Key. Mail, workers and visitors to Siesta Key made the 20 minute boat ride to the island from the Main Street pier at the City of Sarasota Fl. In 1913 Higel built bathhouses for visitors, and then in 1915 a U.S. Post Office named Siesta was opened with access on a bay-front dock to the Higelhurst Hotel.

At that point, Higel began an advertising campaign to promote “Siesta on the Gulf.” The island was touted not only as a vacation destination, but also as a farming opportunity.To attract tourists to the key in 1915, Higel built the Higelhurt Hotel on Big Pass. Adjoining the bath houses, it was a beautiful and imposing two-story building with columns and a large screened porch.Higel erected the Higelhurst Hotel, with a dining room to seat 150 people. The Higelhurst had gas and electric lights. Rates were $2.50 a day. Less than two months before the bridge to Sarasota Key was completed, fire destroyed the Higelhurst Hotel on Friday March 30th, 1917, including the Siesta Key Post Office which was located on the ground floor. The official code of the United States, particularly the 20 U.S. Code § 107e, describes federal property as “any building, land, or other real property owned, leased, or occupied by any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States including the United States Postal Service.”

SARASOTA FL CENTENNIAL JULY 2021photo credit Higelhurst Hotel Manatee County Historical Society. Manatee County Map Shows Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel Near Fishery Point Next to Arson Suspect Rube Allyn's House. The large two story white Higelhurst Hotel was at the very north end of what is now 3332 Gulfmead Dr on Siesta Key Fl. A huge, (Land Area: 43,038 Sq.Ft.) white mega mansion is currently in the building process at the exact same spot 3332 Gulfmead Dr and apparently linked to a Hollywood "A+ List" actor. On the map SARASOTA BAY in 1916 later became ROBERTS BAY. SARASOTA KEY on the map to the far left in 1916 later became LIDO KEY. Arson suspect and Harry Higel murder suspect Rube Allyn lived at the very north end of Gulfmead Dr. The map of Siesta Key as of 1916 shows the Higelhurst Hotel towards the far north end, at 3332 Gulfmead Dr Siesta Key Fl. The Higelhurst Hotel was on the beach at the entrance to Big Pass and 50 yards from the water. The Higelhurst Hotel and dock were burned down on Friday morn March 30th 1917, Rube Allyn was a person of interest in the arson of the Higelhurst Hotel that stood at the entrance of Big Pass and facing Sarasota Bay. The Hotel caretaker Mrs Mueller left the Higelhurst Hotel on Thursday afternoon March 29th 1917 for Sarasota where she spent the evening with friends. The Higelhurst Hotel which was located at the very north end of Siesta Key, was empty and vacant when torched on March 30th 1917, Rube Allyn lived next door on Gulmead Dr and hated Harry Higel directly across Bayou Louise on the north end of Higel Ave. 

Newspaper articles about the Higelhurst Hotel on fire March 30th, 1917 told of how Harry Higel was standing on the Bayfront where Marina Jacks is now and tears where running down his face as he watched his magnificent Higelhurst Hotel at the very north end of Siesta Key burn to the ground. A month later in April 1917, the north bridge to the key was completed, which may have allowed enough time for the fire department to save the building. Rube Allyn was there on the north end of Siesta Key in the early morn of Friday March 30th 1917 when the Higelhurst hotel was torched. Rube Allyn was also the one and only suspect in the brutal pistol whipping of Harry Higel on the north end of Siesta Key on Friday morn January 7th, 1921 that led to Mr Higel's death. Rube Allyn was arrested but a "kangaroo Grand Jury" made up of Rube's newspaper pals and drinking buddies, failed to indict on March 10th, 1921.

Harry Higel's Hotel HigelHurst on Siesta Key opened its doors on March 9, 1915, with more than 200 people attending the grand opening reception. Since the bridge to the key was not finished, ferry boats provided transportation to the hotel. The Hotel was burned down on Friday morn March 30th 1917, Rube Allyn was a person of interest in the arson. The caretaker Mrs Mueller left the Hotel on Thursday afternoon March 29th 1917 for Sarasota where she spent the evening with friends. The Hotel was empty and vacant, Rube Allyn lived nearby and hated Harry Higel. Rube was there on Siesta Key in the early morn of Friday March 30th 1917 when the hotel was torched. The Higelhurst Hotel on N Siesta Key was overlooking Big Pass with an unobstructed view of the Gulf of Mexico directly across from Lido Beach. The Higelhurst Hotel was on the beach less than 50 yards to the Big Pass waters. The very north end of Bayou Louise was behind the  Higelhurst Hotel.

In Sarasota Rube Allyn hated 3 time Mayor Harry Higel, he could never beat him. Siesta Key was sparsely populated from 1917 to 1921 only about 40 people lived there full time. When Harry Higel's Higelhurst Hotel burned to the ground (arson) on Friday morn March 30th, 1917, Rube Allyn was there and living nearby on the north end of Siesta Key, he was a person of interest. Sarasota County Centennial 100 Years is July 2021, mishandling of unsolved murder of Sarasota Mayor Harry Higel by Manatee County Grand Jury caused split form Bradentown Politicians.

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