A grand dame of Amelia
Island, The Elizabeth Pointe Lodge, stands at popular 25 room bed and breakfast, has the
look of an 1890’s Nantucket shingle style cottage. Most people assume it is old, but
it was built with every modern convenience and the comfort of its guests in mind.
To climb the stairs to the main level is to step into a
completely restful seaside environment. Visitors and locals may be found sipping a glass
of cold lemonade and settling into one of the comfortable rocking chairs on the porch that
overlooks the beach and ocean. If the weather does not cooperate and it is a bit nippy, no
problem - just settle in front of the cozy fireplace with an eclectic collection of books
and games.
Elizabeth Pointe Lodge
_______________
Susan and David Caples, proprietors, gave up
their jobs and ventured off to Cornell University where David majored in hotel management.
They were intrigued by what at that time was a new trend – country inns, or bed and
breakfasts as they became known. They opted for cozy hospitality rather than the more
stresses of corporate hospitality. Next, they set out to find the right spot to try their
experiment. Their search took them from Cape Cod to Key West.
They settled on Amelia Island; it met all their criteria. In 1980
the couple purchased the Baker house, a home built in the 1920s by Nolan Baker. They
named their first inn the 1735 House. 1735 was an important year in Amelia Island's
history. It was the year that James Edward Oglethorpe named the island after King George's
youngest daughter, Amelia.
The 1735 House was the first lodging of its kind on the island
and was busy from its earliest days. In 1982 the Caples moved into Katie's Light, a home
they built down the beach from the 1735 House. They named the house for their first born
daughter, Katherine.
This 1980 photograph shows David, Susan
and Katie Caples in front of the 1735 House.
________________________
As their business grew, the Caples looked
for room to expand further down the beach and found two cottages, High Tide and Lowe Tide.
The old cottages were owned by the Lowe family, a family remembered for its popular
grocery on Eighth Street. The Lowes sold the oceanfront property, the cottages came down
and the current inn moved closer to reality.
The Caples named their new inn Elizabeth Pointe after their
second
daughter, Elizabeth. Known to friends as Beth Ann, she currently studies art at Santa Fe
Community College.
Not content to just run their successful lodging business, the
couple
soon found themselves sharing many of the things they had learned along the way. They were
instrumental in establishing many bed and breakfasts throughout the United States.
As their business grew, the Caples maintained their focus on
providing a safe and pleasurable experience for their guests. Clearly, they have been
successful as their guests become friends and return year after year. Ever the gracious
innkeeper, David Caples shares that "We know we have done a good job when our guests
forget what day it is or even what their room number is!"
Frank Hickman and David Caples at the construction site
_________________________________
David Caples is a respected lodging-industry
consultant, real-estate broker and creator of the seminar and apprentice program "How
to Acquire and Start Up a Bed & Breakfast." The couple offers advice on potential
bed and breakfast properties and a boot camp that teaches the basics including how to
manage the laundry.
The Caples will be the first to tell you that their lives have been
blessed, but not without a touch of tragedy. They lived every parent's nightmare in 1998
when their oldest daughter, Katie, was involved in what proved to be a fatal automobile
accident. When it became clear Katie would not survive, they honored their daughter's
wishes that her organs be donated. The Caples have used their own experience to
establish the Katie Caples Foundation. The foundation provides yearly scholarships and
partners with the Life-Quest Organ Recovery Program to educate high school students on
organ donation.
It was determined that an event would provide more opportunity
for fund raising and public awareness. In 2005 the First Annual Katie Ride for Life
was held. The second ride is scheduled for Saturday, April 22, and will encompass the
islands of Amelia, Talbot and Ft. George. The Caples wanted to bring the event to their
hometown (home island), and this will offer many opportunities for families, businesses
and individuals to get involved. For more information
visit online at www.katierideforlife.org.
David and Susan Caples can be proud of their successful
country
inn, Elizabeth Pointe Lodge. It remains a treasured landmark to
Amelia Island residents and a welcome retreat for visitors.
The inaugural Katie Ride For Life was held in 2005.
_____________________________________
|