Early Years

The W.H. Stark House, on which construction began in 1893, features a combination of Victorian architectural styles, most notably the Queen Anne style with its bay windows, turret, and asymmetrical floor plan as well as the Eastlake style with its gallery trim on the porches and staircases. Its strategic placement of windows and doors shows tropical influences, while global trends discovered on the Starks’ trips abroad are also represented. Other influences came from the homes of Miriam Stark’s mother and sister. While the architect is unconfirmed, it is believed that Fred Wilber, a brother-in-law of H.J. Lutcher, was the chief designer and supervisor of the construction.

The home was built to be especially strong, with a foundation of brick with concrete plaster offering structural strength and protection from high water. The exterior walls are 10 inches thick with two layers of diagonal storm sheeting, while the interior double walls are 16 inches thick. Cypress was chosen as the basic material for the structure due to the damp conditions of the area, and longleaf yellow pine was used for the intricate design work. Oak and mahogany are also featured throughout the home. All of the lumber for the framework came from the family-operated Lutcher & Moore Lumber Company, and each board was measured and cut for a precise fit.

The floor plan of the 14,000 square-foot home is duplicated on two of the three stories, and the concrete basement includes walls that are six-feet high and a walk-in vault for valuables. The interior ceilings are 12 feet in height on the first floor, 11 feet on the second floor and 10.5 feet on the third floor. The home also features windows and doors that are all nine feet in height.

The 15-room home has five entrances, two large hallways, and balustrade galleries. Three brick chimneys with corbelling work connect to nine fireplaces, which may have heated the home in early years before the family switched to steam heated radiators. A small cistern provided water for drinking and cooking, and as plumbing became more available, additional bathrooms were added. The house was fitted for gas lighting, but it is speculated that electricity was added shortly after the Stark family began occupying the home.

Although the family moved into the house upon its completion in 1894, the house was in continuous renovation throughout their occupancy until 1936. After the deaths of William Henry Stark and Miriam M. Lutcher Stark in 1936, the house was closed and remained that way until the restoration process began in 1971.