STILLWATER, Okla. — More than 60 family and community members poured into the Horticulture Education Center at the Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University (OSU) May 16 to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the Evelyn DeBenning Storybook Trail. The trail honors DeBenning’s life and her contributions to Oklahoma education.
"Today we are here to celebrate the grand opening of Evelyn DeBenning Storybook Trail. This is a unique place combining art, literature and horticulture to inspire young readers,” Jayson Lusk, dean and vice president of agricultural programs at OSU, said.
Years in the making, the Evelyn DeBenning Storybook Trail is the new home to sculptures of characters found in many popular children’s books. Statues include works from “The Secret Garden,” “Black Beauty,” “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” “Charlotte’s Web” and “Where the Red Fern Grows,” among others.
Bronze plaques have been installed near each statue to provide information about the book and author who inspired it. The storybook trail’s main gate is inspired by “The Secret Garden.”
Incorporating the latest technology along with the botanic garden’s natural beauty, each effigy offers patrons QR codes — enabling those with smartphones the ability to have an interactive experience in an otherwise secluded environment.
The storybook trail’s creation was led by the efforts of long-time Stillwater resident and DeBenning’s daughter, Annawyn DeBenning Shamas. DeBenning Shamas was recognized as a distinguished alumnus by OSU in 2024.
“Our family had been searching for a way to give back to the Stillwater community, which has given us so much,” DeBenning Shamas said. “About two and a half years ago this opportunity presented itself.
“We jumped at the chance to become involved with the garden. It is a way to celebrate my mother, her own writing and her contributions to Oklahoma education,” DeBenning Shamas said.
As a tribute to the family’s Chickasaw heritage, the Evelyn DeBenning Storybook Trail will include a sculpture of famed Chickasaw storyteller, Te Ata. The statue will be installed and available for viewing later this summer and will serve as an invitation for future storytelling sessions.
“Te Ata was a famous Chickasaw storyteller, and this trail is about storytelling and books,” DeBenning Shamas said. “Including Te Ata represents my family’s relationship to our Chickasaw lineage, and to other First American storytellers.”
Chickasaw storyteller Mary Frances Thompson Fisher, known as Te Ata, shared the spirit and stories of the Chickasaw people with audiences around the world. Te Ata built a remarkable career spanning more than 60 years using traditional First American storytelling to educate, inspire and challenge stereotypes.
In 1987, she became the first person named an “Oklahoma Treasure,” honoring her lasting cultural impact and dedication to preserving Indigenous storytelling.
Jon Hair, creator of an original Te Ata effigy located at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma campus in Chickasha, Oklahoma, is crafting a smaller version of the original sculpture for the storybook trail.
According to OSU’s website, the botanic garden is a living, multidisciplinary laboratory used by OSU’s Division of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources, and local and regional communities at large. The 100-acre plot, from its walking trails to native plants, is meant to promote nature research and inspire ideas.
“This is one of the most meaningful projects at this garden,” Justin Moss, head of horticulture and landscape architecture at OSU, said. “Evelyn was an educator, writer and gifted storyteller. Her life’s work centered around nurturing young minds through the power of story.”
“To honor her legacy, Annawyn and her children have thoughtfully selected storybook characters that enchant and inspire young readers across the generations. These sculptures do more than add beauty; they open the garden to more people,” Moss said.
DeBenning Shamas also recognized the hard work of the director of the botanic garden, Lou Anella.
“The storybook project has become a reality with the creativity and dedication of Dr. Lou Anella,” said DeBenning Shamas.
For more information about the Evelyn DeBenning Storybook Trail, visit BotanicGarden.okstate.edu/Storybook-Trail or email BotanicGarden@okstate.edu.
About DeBenning
Evelyn Mae Burris DeBenning was born in Stonewall, Oklahoma. She attended East Central State College, now known as East Central University, in Ada, Oklahoma. She married fellow East Central University graduate M.J. DeBenning.
The couple taught in many Oklahoma towns, including Seminole. Her family moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma, in 1944, where she taught at Stillwater’s Lincoln and Westwood Elementary Schools. Although accredited to teach Latin and algebra, DeBenning was drawn to teaching elementary school children.