The Dollhouse

Arlington Indiana

Lova Cline was born 1908. The only child of George and Mary Cline, she was a complete invalid from birth, unable to even sit on her own. The only joy in her life was a dollhouse built for her by her father who was a carpenter.

George Cline was not just a carpenter but as he insisted a bridge carpenter, built the dollhouse that was a labor of love and heartbreak. Although the house is roomy and exquisitely fashioned, it has no entrance only large windows. Little Lova was able only to look at it from her chair or bed but it was the only thing that brought luster to her eyes. He must have known Lova would not enjoy the house long, yet he worked many days and nights on its construction.

The dollhouse is 8 feet tall and weighs 400 pounds. The roof is gabled and the weatherboards are poplar with a lot of scrollwork, which is now covered. All the original furniture in the house was built by her dad, which consisted of three chairs, a love-seat, all with cushions, a vase of flowers set on an end table adorned with a lace doily, a crib with a small doll, some toys laid around the room. The dining room consisted of a table covered with a lace tablecloth, a vase of flowers in the center, and two chairs with a doll on one. All the dolls in the house were Lova's put there by her mother along with little dishes and lace curtains for the windows.

Lova died in 1908 at the age of six and her dollhouse was placed at the site of her grave in the west end of the cemetery. It remained there until 1945 when her mother, Mary Cline, passed away. After the death of his wife, George Cline suggested that the dollhouse be destroyed.

By the time George suggested that the dollhouse be destroyed, it was already an Arlington Legend. Blount Sharp, the Sexton of the cemetery, talked Mr. Cline out of demolishing the dollhouse. The caretaker moved the house and Lova’s remains to their present location, next to Lova’s mother. Blount Sharp put the dollhouse on a new foundation and painted the outside, his wife replaced the rug and lace curtains, which time and mice had ruined.

George Cline died in 1946, one year after his wife and was buried beside her and little Lova. His will designated Lova Ward-Wooten to serve as caretaker of the dollhouse. Lova Ward-Wooten had been named after the Cline’s daughter; Lova’s parents were close friends of the Clines related by marriage. The Clines would often bring Lova Ward-Wooten gifts when she was small.

The years went by and the dollhouse stood much as it always had except for the once a year cleaning that Lova would do. Waiting for grown-ups and children alike to go over and peek in to see what was inside. Then in 1973, an article about the house and its antique furnishing appeared in the Trader magazine. Then shortly after that, thieves broke into the house and stole all of the original furniture and dolls, which are still missing.

The dollhouse did not stand ravaged for long; the Posey Township Girls 4-H Club replaced the curtains and rug. Nick and Ivanna Pike of Arlington offered their assistance in restoring the house to it former condition. Mrs. Pike made three new china dolls to take the place of those stolen. The original dolls and furniture could not be duplicated because no photographs of them were ever taken. The new dolls were authentic reproductions of antiques. Not long after the dolls were placed in the house one was stolen. The two that were left were a tiny doll in a baby bed and another doll, which appeared to be a sister or mother watching over the baby. Nick Pike welded together a doll buggy from coat hangers and scrap metal, copying a picture out of an old catalogue. Percy Turner who died in 1976 built new furniture for the dollhouse. Chairs sat around a little table set with dishes and silverware as if ready for a dinner that never came. A small oil lamp kept an eternal vigil in the bay windows.

In the year 1979 another article was written with a picture of the dollhouse and not long after that vandals struck again. Carl Hutchinson, who was caretaker of the cemetery at that time and Lova, decided the outside of the dollhouse needed to be restored. He removed the house and took it to Tweedy Lumber Company in Carthage. They reworked all the windows, covered the roof with metal, the sides with aluminum, and caulked the cracks. The dollhouse looked brand new. Carl also had a large foundation built and had the dollhouse bolted down when it was finished. These steps were taken to help against vandalism.

Lova asked her daughter, Sheila Wooten-Hewitt, if she would help replace the furniture. Sheila and some of her friends decided to make the furniture out of cardboard making the furniture have no value. They then covered the furniture with upholstery materials. The dining room chairs were covered in beige; the table made of cardboard had a lace tablecloth. The chairs and sofa were all covered materials and cushions placed on them, end tables were covered, then a hole punched in there for pencils to be placed to be used as lamps; and Downy lids for shades. A bed was made out of a sponge and then covered with material, and little hand made pillows. A lot of time and effort was taken to make these pieces just so there would be something in the dollhouse. Sheila made lace curtains; Kathy Schunk donated a piece of carpet to replace the one stolen; and Joan Williams donated little flower vases to sit on the windowsills.

Everything was gather up; Lova, Sheila and Dean, Sheila’s husband placed the furniture and curtains in the house. At this time they had no dolls but Susie Hewitt, Sheila’s daughter had a little china doll and she wanted to put it in the house. That doll is still in there today. This furniture was left alone, to no one’s surprise.

On Memorial Day in 1999 Sheila, Dean, and her sister Aleta, refurnished the house with purchased miniature doll furniture and new lace curtains that were once again made by Sheila. This furniture is really too small and does not simulate the time period that the house was built.

Lova’s dollhouse was also cause for a song that was written in 2001 titled “Lova’s Doll House with God’s Love.” A gentleman in Greenfield Indiana wrote it. Our little house is filled with God’s love for over the years it has caused joy for so many. To be working on the little house and have people ask you the story, or to see little one’s face light up when they see the dollhouse gives so much joy.

In June of 1999, Lova Ward-Wooten passed away. She asked that Sheila become the caretaker of the dollhouse. The house sets in the shade of this maple tree and the grass never grows with the traffic of all the visitors. People from everywhere stop to see the little monument that made Lova’s short life a little happier. Many people over the years have told the story of the little dollhouse in our cemetery. It is more than just a story of a father’s love for his only daughter, it is also the story of a community’s affections for a little girl they never knew, and how those feelings have reached a sentimental memorial. The love George felt for his daughter will live on through the dollhouse and all that visit the dollhouse can feel that love.

I will keep up the dollhouse; as long as I am able and my granddaughters, Jessica and Loggan Hewitt will, I hope someday take over caring for the house. Enjoy our little house and remember it is with God’s love we have it to remember.


Sheila Hewitt
April 2002