Little River Lighthouse, located on a small island in
remote Cutler, Maine recently received some statewide television
attention from the overnight stays that are now available at the
historic light station.
Once listed by Maine Preservation as one of Maine’s Ten
Most Endangered Historic Properties, the former lighthouse keeper’s
house, now nearly fully restored, was featured on a two-part news
segment
Photo by Kathleen Finnegan
Linda VanTatenhove (l) and her husband,
Rodger (r) with Susan Farley (c), Coastal
Bureau Chief of WABI-TV5, preparing for
their interview in the living room of the
restored keeper's house at Little River
Light Station in Cutler, Maine.
by WABI-TV- 5’s
Coastal Bureau Chief Susan Farley.
The story covered the first hand memories of a lighthouse keeper’s wife,
through lighthouse automation and then the abandonment and destruction of
some lighthouse stations, to the modern day efforts to save what is left.
However, it was the American Lighthouse Foundation’s volunteer efforts that
were highlighted in an interview with Tim Harrison, past president of the
nonprofit group. Although not all of the many projects of the American
Lighthouse Foundation were covered, the program highlighted ALF’s efforts at
Prospect Harbor and Little River Lighthouses. Harrison spoke of
Photo by Kathleen Finnegan
Susan Farley of WABI-TV5 talks with
Tim Harrison about the overnight stay
program at Little River Light Station
the long and tedious eight
years of restoration at Little River Lighthouse. Although the keeper’s
house is restored and was opened last year for overnight stays, the
total restoration is not yet fully complete, said Harrison. He continued
by saying, “The overnight stays, provide for a wonderful alternative use
for a light station that will help pay
for the remaining restoration and the ongoing maintenance of this old
structure that is so much a part of Maine’s maritime heritage.”
Also featured on the news broadcast were Rodger and Linda VanTatenhove, who
were volunteer caretakers at Little River Lighthouse, for seven weeks this
past season. They told of the wonderful honor that they and the overnight
guests felt in experiencing what it was like to spend the night at such an
historic place. Linda also recalled many of the wonderful people they have
met from so many different places, all of whom fell in love with the
restored light station. In reading from the guest book, the written comments
confirmed what she was saying. Nearly every person thanked the volunteers
who made the restoration possible for him or her to now experience
lighthouse life, first hand.
Susan Farley, who had visited the Little River Lighthouse three years ago,
for a story about the ongoing restoration, said she was amazed at how the
place looks now, compared to her last visit. “I’m impressed,” she said.
The Friends of Little River Lighthouse, a chapter of the American Lighthouse
Foundation, which manages the day-to-day operations of the lighthouse, will
begin taking reservations for overnight stays sometime after the first of
the year
To learn more about the group you can visit their web site at
or call them at 207-259-3833.
