Thanks to a couple from Groton, Connecticut, Cutler’s
Little River Lighthouse has another unique antique to add to the
furnishings of the now restored historic lighthouse station.
Ron and Mary Jane Foster had an antique oak commode in
their personal collection that they no longer had room for. “Rather than
sell this beautiful antique,” said Ron, “We decided that it should be
donated to the Little River Lighthouse.”
So they contacted Tim Harrison, president of the American
Lighthouse Foundation and a volunteer for the Friends of Little River
Lighthouse and made arrangements to bring the antique commode to Maine.
Photo by Tim Harrison
Ron and Mary Jane Foster on the front
steps of the keeper’s house
of Little River Light Station in
Cutler with the antique oak
commode they donated for
display at the lighthouse.
Harrison, who lives in Whiting, Maine, said, “The very day the Fosters
arrived, since the weather was good, we took the Fosters and their donation
out to the island lighthouse for immediate display in the old keeper’s
house.” Harrison continued by saying, “The commode is a wonderful addition
to the lighthouse furnishings to show what the families would have used in
the days before indoor plumbing was installed. We already have a wash basin
and water pitcher donated by Kathleen Finnegan, another volunteer, that will
be displayed on top of the commode.”
The Fosters are long time lighthouse preservationists and have been heavily
involved over the years with a number of lighthouse groups such as the New
England Lighthouse Lovers and the American Lighthouse Foundation. Having
visited Little River Lighthouse several times over the last few years they
were impressed with the restoration work and felt this was the best place to
donate the antique cabinet.
