176 votes

Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center

2111 W Park Ave, Orange, Texas USA

Closed Now

Opens Sat 9a

Independent

The history of Shangri La began with H.J. Lutcher Stark, a prominent philanthropist. Inspired by the mystical retreat represented in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by James Hilton, Stark sought to create his own haven of indescribable beauty where time would stand still. His vision became a reality in 1937 when he began creating Shangri-La Botanical Gardens within significant acreage owned by him along Adams Bayou in his hometown of Orange, Texas.

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Reviewed by
lukester

12 Reviews
1 Helpful

October 21, 2021

I just read that there's a giant old bat house here from the early 1900s that was designed by doctor Charles A Campbell to help rid the area of Malaria. 16 of them were put up from San Antonio to Italy. https://www.batcon.org/article/dr-campbells-malaria-eradicating-guano-producing-bat-roosts/

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