Indiana’s lights in Lima
February 26th, 2009
I came across something that brought out my inner Hoosier some days ago over Pisco Sours at the beautiful Hotel Bolivar in central Lima. Next to our table on the restaurant’s terrace, I discovered the words “George Cutter Co. South Bend Ind” stamped on the ornamental lamps along the ledge.
A bit of internet sleuthing revealed that George Cutter, a friend of Thomas Edison, produced street lamps and other fixtures from his factory in South Bend, Indiana from 1906 until 1915. His company in South Bend was later absorbed by Westinghouse after his death. Interestingly, the George Cutter light fixtures at the hotel actually predate the historic hotel itself, which was built in 1924.
Note for Hoosier readers: Please do not go looking for the Hotel Bolivar the city of Peru (“Circus Capital of the World,” birthplace of Cole Porter). You will not find it.