Historic Capen House reopens this weekend

Nearly two years after the 200-ton, 130-year-old Capen-Showalter House was cut in half, lifted onto a barge and floated across Winter Park’s Lake Osceola, its doors are ready to open again at its new home.

The project, which raised more than a million dollars to save the historic home in 2013, culminated with it being deposited on the lake’s south shore on the property of the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens.

All of it was touched off when a notice showed up on the Capen House’s front door in June of 2013 telling residents that the home was about to be torn down.

“They said it had too many problems and would be too expensive to fix, but the more I looked into it, the less it seemed to be true,” said Betsy Owens, executive director of Friends of Casa Feliz, an organization that advocates for historic preservation in Winter Park.

Owens decided to get the word out. She had no idea where it would lead.

“I really didn’t intend it to be a huge community project,” she said. “But people started saying that maybe it could be moved.”

They were right. And with a historic connection between sculptor Albin Polasek and the Capen family, many of whom were immortalized by his artwork, it was a perfect fit. Preservation Capen, led by architectural historian Christine Madrid French, with the help of construction manager Frank Roark — who had also helped save the city’s Casa Feliz — and consulting architect Steve Feller, formed to raise money and design a moving plan. One hundred contractors and more than 400 donors and community organizations banded together to make it happen.

Once the two halves were back on dry land on Dec. 19 of 2013, they were rolled into position atop giant trailers so that they could be nailed back together. Floors were restored, and the home was updated to make it handicapped-accessible and meet current building codes.

In the run up to finish the building for its 130th anniversary celebration, the 4,200-square-foot home was converted into a museum office space and history exhibit, and will also serve as an event venue.

“This weekend is a culmination of a huge community effort,” French said.

In a release celebrating the opening, Polasek executive director Debbie Komanski wrote that she was proud of the community for making it happen.

“We could not have accomplished this work without the dedication of our construction and design team and the support of the whole community,” she said.

Now that the Capen House has come home again, they’re rolling out the red carpet. A free “Celebrate the Capen Open House” event will run from 1 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 11 at 633 Osceola Ave.

There, an exhibit showcasing how the community rallied to save the house will greet visitors, many of whom may have helped that dream come true. It’s free, it’s open to the public, and ready to take on a new life, but with the same history intact.

“I think the house is kind of a time traveler,” French said. “It tells us about something we couldn’t experience.”