Ralph Middleton Munroe (April 3, 1851 – August 20, 1933) was an American yacht designer and early resident of Coconut Grove in South Florida.

His home, now The Barnacle Historic State Park, is the oldest house in Miami-Dade County still standing in its original location.

While a student at Eagleswood Military Academy, [1] near Perth Amboy, New Jersey, from 1861 to 1864, he purchased the Hornet for $2.00, the first of many boats he owned.

[2] After briefly attending Columbia University in New York City, Munroe participated in a number of lucrative business ventures as well as yachting adventures.

In 1886, Munroe decided to make Coconut Grove his permanent home, and purchased the future site of The Barnacle Historic State Park, which was at the time 40 acres (160,000 m2) of bayfront property.

He obtained a wrecking license from the State of Florida to salvage ships on Biscayne Bay, which were numerous due to the surrounding reef and shallow waters.

Guests included Ruth Rowland Nichols, William Grigsby McCormick, and Alexander Graham Bell.

Written with the assistance of Vincent Gilpin, it is one of the few first-hand accounts existing of pioneer days in Miami-Dade County.

Munroe was a very good friend of Captain Nat Herreshoff, America's preeminent yacht designer.

He was survived by his wife and two children who, with his other descendants, continued to occupy The Barnacle until 1973 when the family sold it to the state of Florida.