ORANGE, Texas, September 16, 2008 - The W.H. Stark House survived Hurricane Ike with little damage or water intrusion to its
interior. While the basement of the Stark House was partially flooded, water
did not enter the main House. The Stark House is safe and its contents and
collections remain in excellent condition.
The Carriage House of the Stark House experienced water
intrusion of less than 18 inches that resulted in minor damage to a portion of
the collections on its lower level. Mitigation of that damage is underway.
Stark House staff members had fully implemented the House's
hurricane plan well in advance of the storm's landfall and had taken steps to
protect the facility to the greatest extent possible. Essential employees of
the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation, which owns and operates the
Stark House, remained near the premises at all times during the hurricane to
monitor conditions.
Because of the extensive damage throughout the City of Orange
and the lack of city services as a result of Hurricane Ike, all events that
were previously slated to be hosted by the Stark House will be canceled until
further notice, including The W.H. Stark House presentation of "Oh
Papa!" Miriam and Carrie Lutcher in the Timber Forests
and the upcoming seasonal exhibits.
The W.H. Stark House, including the Carriage House, will
remain closed to the public until such time as city services resume, power is
restored and recovery efforts are completed. This includes cancellation of all
group tours scheduled for the months of September and October and, possibly,
through the end of the year.
Stark Foundation and Stark House staff will work diligently
to ensure the preservation and protection of The W.H. Stark House, and the
staff will endeavor to return to normal operations as soon as possible.
Resumption of operations will depend entirely on the ultimate assessment of
damages and subsequent recovery efforts, which remain to be determined.
For updates and further information, visit the Stark House
website at www.whstarkhouse.org.
About The W.H. Stark House
The W.H. Stark House is a Victorian landmark in Orange, Texas,
which has been restored to its original splendor.
The 14,000 square-foot home was completed in 1894 in Orange, Texas
by William Henry Stark and his wife, Miriam M. Lutcher Stark, prominent
philanthropists who occupied the home until 1936. Designed in the Queen Anne
architectural style, the house features a distinctive turret, stained glass
windows, and ornate woodwork in cypress and long leaf yellow pine.
Today, the three-story structure stands much as it did at
the turn of the 20th century, with fifteen rooms of original family
furnishings, personal effects and decorative arts, including antique rugs,
original textiles, silver, cut glass and antique porcelain. Also featured are
the Stark family's impressive collections of American Brilliant Period cut
glass, pressed and pattern glass, milk glass, porcelains, and other 18th and
19th century decorative accessories. The interior of both The W.H. Stark House
and its adjacent Carriage House depicts the home life of the Starks in the
early 1900s and provides an extraordinary statement of Texas' social history.
The W.H. Stark House is listed in the National Register of
Historic Places and designated as a Record Texas Historic Landmark by the Texas
Historical Commission. It is operated as a program of the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation, a private foundation established in 1961 by H.J.
Lutcher Stark, the only surviving child of Miriam M. and W.H. Stark.
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610 Main Avenue
Orange, Texas 77630
Phone: 409.883.0871
www.whstarkhouse.org
