La Grange Faces — Linda Foster
- Name: Linda M. Foster
- Occupation: Retired retail shop owner.
- Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky.
- Current Neighborhood: La Grange Historic District.
- Number of years in La Grange: Nineteen years.
- My favorite annual event is: Light Up La Grange.
- I would love it if: At my demise, I could join in with the Spirits of La Grange!
- My favorite local secret is: It wouldn’t be a secret if I told you!
- Tell us something we don’t know about La Grange: Some of its residents are spectral!
- I want: La Grange to continue to grow and blossom, yet retain its small-town feeling.
- I’m working on: Too many things! The Blue Hydrangea Tea, Spirits of La Grange Ghost Tours, Oldham County History Center activities, and re-plastering and painting my house.
- My perfect evening involves: Being curled up in bed reading Stephen King.
- I like to hang out at: On a boat on the Ohio River.
- The best thing that’s happened to La Grange is: Bill Lammlein’s tenure as mayor.
- La Grange is special because: Of its PEOPLE.
- I love La Grange because: It has a small-town charm.
Tom Kinney of Kinney Art Studios (208 East Main) snapped this image of Linda Foster on the replica of the steam engine that now graces the northeast corner of Main and Walnut. Tom and his wife, Mary Kinney, use the studio for painting (Mary) and for making jewelry (Tom). Tom also shoots photos of events, scenery, and people, and serves on the Discover Downtown La Grange board of directors.
Ever since Linda closed her retail shop, she has become the town’s “volunteer extraordinaire.” Her voice is the one you hear when you make ghost tour reservations, and you can see her face just about anytime you want to visit the Oldham County History Center. She is a Discover Downtown La Grange board member, and she also serves on many committees and helps on just about every project that comes down the pike. This town has benefited mightily from Linda’s help.
From gathering the steam engine story in bits and pieces, we understand that The Oldham County History Center discarded this piece and that former mayor Elsie Carter had it restored. It was sitting in storage, and the current mayor, Bill Lammlein, had it brought out and placed on the corner for everyone to enjoy at the beginning of February, 2012, to mark the completion of the second bumpout on Main Street.
