Photo by Jim Twardowski
Towering indigo blue bottle trees, which, according to African-American folklore, absorb evil spirits, glimmer against the blue sky at Orange, Texas’, Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center.
Thanks to the Stark family, Orange is the Shangri La of the Lonestar State
Year after year we make an obligatory Texas pilgrimage to visit family. Riding along Interstate 10, we’ve crossed the Louisiana state line and whizzed passed Orange, Texas, a dozen times. The small town, named for the wild citrus groves hugging the banks of the Sabine River, never piqued our interest—until we stopped at the Texas Travel Information Center for a map. Heading west from Louisiana, it is the first exit before Orange.
Row upon row of racks at the information center are filled with pamphlets describing the tempting attractions in the Lone Star State. A giant display welcomes visitors to the Blue Elbow Swamp; this forested wetlands reserve is one of the most threatened in the U.S., and a small portion of the 3,300 acres can be admired by stepping out the back door of the information center. Weary travelers can stretch their legs on the six hundred-foot raised boardwalk which cuts through dense cypress trees. Those with a bit of patience might glimpse colorful woodpeckers, slithering snakes, playful nutria, and sunbathing turtles.
We told an information center employee how much we enjoyed the scenery, and she enthusiastically suggested we take a five-minute drive to the Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center. Despite our skepticism, we followed the signs and paid the $6 admission.
Our tour of the 252 acres began at the Discovery Theater, watching a short film about the history of Shangri La and philanthropist H.J. Lutcher Stark. Deeply inspired by the book, Lost Horizon, Stark named his garden after the fictional utopia Shangri La, whose origins lie in this book. Working for nine years, Stark created his own nature retreat beside Adams Bayou in his hometown of Orange, Texas. In 1946, the private garden opened to the public, attracting thousands of visitors who came to see the stunning azaleas, tupelo swamp, and wildlife.
A freak snowstorm in 1958 destroyed most of the gardens, leading a disheartened Stark to close the property. After remaining dormant for half a century, the garden was reopened to the public in 2008. Now, expanding on Stark’s original vision, the Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center combines formal gardens with a natural environment. Most of the materials used in the construction were reclaimed; in fact, in 2009, the American Institute of Architects selected Shangri La as one of the world’s “Top Ten Green Projects.”
The heart of Shangri La is education; the center engages thousands of children and adults each year. Our first visit was in the fall when school children were exploring the grounds. One group took samples at the Wetland Demonstration Garden where water from Ruby Lake runs through a filtration system. Teachers use the garden to demonstrate scientific principles.
The Children’s Garden, complete with pint-size chairs, a butterfly garden, and raised vegetable beds, is bordered by towering blue bottle trees, which, according to African-American folklore, absorb evil spirits. The glimmering indigo-blue bottles hang from the branches of dead cedar trees, and their concrete foundations are covered in pale blue plumbago.
We strolled a path where boxwood hedges framed beds of flowers. The colors alternate with the seasons—blooms of gold and purple in one season, red and green in another. The lush Hanging Garden with ginger, bananas, and other exotic tropicals includes some of the same plants Stark selected years ago. Large antique sugar kettles, originally used to boil cane juice on sugar plantations, arescattered throughout this area. (The kettles are repurposed pots from Stark’s personal collection.) A series of themed spaces adorned with both art and plants make up the intimate Sculpture Rooms.
Every turn brings something new to admire. The oval-shaped Pond of the Blue Moon reflects the forty-one varieties of azaleas blooming each spring. Sitting out on the water is Cypress Gate, a structure made from sixty-foot cypress logs salvaged after Hurricane Rita. A cypress timber walk bordered by water lilies, papyrus, and lotus leads visitors to this scenic spot.
One of the most unique activities at Shangri La is an hour-long outpost tour aboard a pontoon. The tour cruises along Adams Bayou as a knowledgeable guide discusses the history and importance of wetlands and bayous to wildlife and humans. Along the way, the tour stops at one of the Outpost Pavilions for a brief walk on a boardwalk and an up-close view of the wetlands associated with the bayou. Guides point out birds, animals, reptiles, and plants, among which might include water birds, alligators, snakes, herons, osprey, and even an occasional otter. During the tour, keep an eye out for the 1,200 year-old pond cypress, fondly referred to as the Survivor Tree.
When spring arrived, we returned to Shangri La for one reason...to see the heronry. A bird blind, large enough to accommodate a classroom of excited children, is positioned to provide views of the fifteen-acre Ruby Lake, home to more than seventeen species of bird.
Each spring and summer, thousands of birds descend on the lake to nest, including Roseate Spoonbills, Anhingas, Great Egrets, and many others. Protected from predators, birds fill the trees. When a volunteer is on duty, visitors may borrow high-quality binoculars or view the birds up close on video monitors. As we tiptoed up to the blind—a sign warns visitors to remain quiet—we saw hundreds of Great Egrets, with their gossamer wings protectively hovering over fuzzy young birds.
Shangri La is romantic and even magical. Inspired by a novel, envisioned by one man, the modern-day version strives to respect nature and, yes, it is a bit of utopia in a most unexpected place. Whatever time of year you visit Shangri La, there is something beautiful to see; whether it is the Victorian greenhouse spilling over with orchids or the aquatic plants enlivening the Frog Ponds, this secret garden of the Southeast is worth a detour.
“Small Town Charm, World Class Culture”
The Orange, Texas Convention & Visitors Bureau slogan, “Small town charm, world class culture,” isn’t an exaggeration. With a population of less than twenty thousand, Orange is indeed small. And when it comes to culture, there are enough diversions to fill a weekend, especially if it coincides with one of the community’s special events. Take a drive down Green Avenue and you’ll discover an eclectic assortment of cultured and historic attractions, many of which, incidentally, are a legacy of the Stark family.
The Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation formed in 1961. The non-profit corporation operates exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. Its mission is “to encourage and assist education and enrich the quality of life in Southeast Texas by providing and promoting opportunities for the study and enjoyment of the arts, history, and nature.” Under the direction of the Foundation, The Stark Museum of Art was established in 1978. The Frances Ann Lutcher Theater for the Performing Arts was constructed in 1980. After a decade of restoration work, The W.H. Stark House opened in 1981, and Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center reopened in 2008. Collectively, these institutions are called the Stark Cultural Venues and “account for a large amount of the outside visitors that travel to Orange each year,” according to Taylor Warner, CVB coordinator. “Local residents feel proud that visitors travel from all over the world to visit attractions rich with culture and history that reside in their hometown,” she said.
You can’t miss the three-story-high, 14,000-square-foot boyhood home of H.J. Lutcher Stark. The W.H. Stark House, with its distinctive windowed turret, combines both Queen Anne and Eastlake architectural styles. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the restored house is filled with original family furnishings and decorative arts. The fifteen rooms contain the personal effects and collections of the prominent timber family who called it home from 1894 to 1936. Tours of the house and carriage house are open to the public.
Visitors enter the home through a beveled French glass door to behold a grand yellow pine staircase decorated with carvings and two ornate bronze candelabras. The highlight of the elegant music room, decorated in a cherub motif, is a 1910 Steinway grand piano. The library once housed ten thousand books. When fully extended, the formal dining room seats two dozen guests. During Christmas, roses were used as centerpieces and guests drank from Steuben Pamona green glassware while the corner fireplace glowed. Family meals were served in the breakfast room with walls covered in a bold red brocade damask.
Upstairs, the tour takes visitors inside the family’s bedrooms. Miriam Stark’s toilet set—a hairbrush, clothes brush, comb, hand mirror, powder box, and perfume bottle—is laid out in anticipation of her morning preparations. Down the hall is the cozy sitting room with a large bay window providing views of the Sabine River.
The third floor contains storage space, the nurse’s apartment, a sewing room, and the tower room with a collection of Napoleonic artifacts, including the highly prized copy of the Napoleon death mask.
The carriage house includes some 1,500 decorative arts and an American Hupmobile Roadster made in 1909.
The Stark Museum of Art houses nineteenth- and twentieth-century Western American art and artifacts, American Indian art, and collections of porcelain, glass, rare books, and manuscripts. Some of the world-famous artists include Audubon, Remington, and Russell. The museum offers changing exhibits like the current Navajo Weaving: Tradition & Trade, displaying more than thirty-five exquisite weavings. Visitors can walk through a replica trading post complete with frontier-day staples.
The 1,460-seat Lutcher Theater hosts a range of professional performers from nationally touring musicals to country western singers. Tickets are on sale now for Bill Cosby’s Far From Finished tour in July. The theater opened in 1980 with Liberace performing and celebrates its thirty-fifth season (2014-2015) this year. Highlights of the upcoming season include Lyle Lovett, Sister Act, Anything Goes, Kathy Mattea, and The Great Gatsby.
Details. Details. Details.
Stark Cultural Venues starkculturalvenues.org Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center 211 West Park Avenue Open Tuesday–Saturday, 9 am–5 pm
The Outpost Tours are on a first come, first served basis. Call (409) 670-9113 to confirm departure time.
Admission to the Botanical Garden is $6 for adults and an additional $6 for the Outpost Tour.
The W.H. Stark House Tours begin at the Carriage House located behind the house at 610 Main Avenue. Open Tuesday–Saturday, 9 am–5 pm $6 for single admission tickets The Stark Museum of Art 712 Green Avenue Open Tuesday–Saturday, 9 am–5 pm Adult admission is $6 Lutcher Theater 707 Main Avenue
Visit lutcher.org for a list of upcoming events and ticket information.
