The W.H. Stark House celebrated literacy with annual Summer Reading Festival

The W.H. Stark House is thrilled to bookmark the end of another successful Summer Reading Festival. Since 2020, the Summer Reading Festival has been presented annually by The W.H. Stark House to celebrate literacy and inspire a love of reading in community youth. This summer, more than 30 children ages 5-12 let their imagination take flight with the Festival's "Peter Pan" theme.

A signature aspect of the Summer Reading Festival is that the yearly theme is inspired by a book from Miriam Lutcher Stark's library. Each child in attendance at the Festival takes home an age-appropriate version of the book celebrated during the event. This year, 33 children took home a copy of "Peter Pan."

"Miriam Lutcher Stark, The W.H. Stark House matriarch, was an avid reader and accumulated an extensive library throughout her life. She shared her love of literature throughout the community with book clubs and the creation of the Stark Reading Contest in 1904. Today, the Summer Reading Festival exists as one of the ways that we honor her legacy and her passion for reading," said Tabitha Henderson, education and programming manager of The W.H. Stark House.

In addition to reading, children were also able to take part in fun activities that brought the magic of "Peter Pan" to life. Activities included a treasure hunt inside The W.H. Stark House, a silhouette art-making activity, an educational experience on alligators presented by Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center and more Neverland-inspired fun.

Though the event has passed, The W.H. Stark House still encourages the community to read throughout the summer and beyond. A Little Free Library was recently installed onsite and made its debut at the Summer Reading Festival. Readers of all ages may stop by The W.H. Stark House to take a free book home to enjoy or leave a book to share with others. The Little Free Library is located near the Carriage House entrance on Main Avenue.

For an opportunity to discover the rich history of The W.H. Stark House and the Stark family legacy, guests eight years of age and older are invited to enjoy three-floor guided tours. Guests will experience the 14,000 square foot home and encounter the history of Orange, Texas at the turn of the 20th century. Guided tours are led by an expert tour guide and are available on Wednesdays, Fridays and select Saturdays at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Reservations are free and encouraged at whstarkhouse.org/guided-tours.