The house is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark by the Texas Historical Commission. A reflection of its owners’ lifestyle, the home is a unique combination of Victorian architectural styles, including Queen Anne and Eastlake styles, as well global influences observed on the Starks’ trips abroad.
After the respective deaths of W.H. and Miriam Lutcher Stark in 1936, the house remained unoccupied for the next 35 years until an ambitious, 10-year renovation plan was enacted by the Stark Foundation. Dedicated to accurately restoring the house to its original grandeur, the Foundation relied on historical guidelines from the 1920s, as well as old photographs and eyewitness accounts from the Stark family’s housekeeper and nurse. The W.H. Stark House opened its doors to the public in 1981 and, through original furnishings and personal effects, gives visitors a glimpse into the lives of its esteemed owners.
On view throughout the 15-room house are artifacts collected by the Starks, including rare 18th and 19th century decorative arts, what is believed to be one of the few remaining bronze Napoleon “death masks,” a handcrafted, one-of-a-kind sterling silver tea set, and a signed and numbered Steinway Grand piano circa 1910, which is still played on special occasions.
Over 100 years later, the three-story, 14,000 square-foot home remains structurally sound and has withstood the wrath of Hurricane Rita in 2005 and, more recently, Hurricane Ike, and stands as a unique legacy to Texas’ social history.