New London Harbor Lighthouse
New London, Connecticut
Built in 1801
Location:
The lighthouse sits on the western side of the entrance to New London Harbor. Private residence, but you can take photos from various spots near the lighthouse.
| Latitude: 41° 19' 00" N |
| Longitude: 72° 05' 24" W |
New London Harbor Cam
Historic Stories:
New London Harbor Lighthouse is the fourth oldest lighthouse in the country and one of the earliest American lighthouses with a flashing light.
In 1761, thousands of lottery tickets were sold to help pay for an early stone tower with a wooden lantern at the harbor entrance (this was a popular method of raising funds for construction projects in those days).
The lighthouse was built in 1801 to accommodate the increasing traffic for the fishing and whaling industries, and by the middle of the 1800's, New London was America's third largest leading whaling port.
The lighthouse stands at 89 feet tall, and is the oldest and the tallest beacon in Connecticut along Long Island Sound, and the fourth oldest beacon in the country.
New London Harbor Light became the center for conducting many experiments with various types of fog signals. |
 New London Harbor Light 1900 Courtesy US Coast Guard |
One fog siren developed and installed drew many complaints from the locals from its shrieking sound, prompting its replacement a few years later.
In 2010, the lighthouse was handed over to the New London Maritime Society, who are directly involved in all funding and preservation of the lighthouse and property.
In 2013, New London Harbor Lighthouse was chosen as one of five New England lighthouses, painted by artist Howard Koslow, for the "Forever" stamp collection sold at all US Postal stations.
Recently, after a legal battle that lasted over 4 years, over a safety issue to stop groups from walking on the outside of a side wall alongside a neighbor’s property, a new access was made through the sea wall leading to the lighthouse. Tours are now scheduled and provided by the New London Maritime Society.
Places to Visit Nearby:
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At the New London Harbor Lighthouse, the keeper's house and specific grounds are closed to the public, as it is a private residence, but close up views can be found along Ocean Avenue. |
However, special tours of the lighthouse tower for up to six people at a time can be scheduled with the New London Maritime Society. They have gained ownership of the lighthouse, and are directly involved in all its preservation efforts.
What's unique about the tower tours is that, on a clear day, from the New London Harbor tower, visitors can see up to 7 lighthouses, two in Connecticut and five along New York in the sound. More lighthouses can be seen from this one spot here than any other place on earth.
The Coast Guard Academy Museum, in New London, contains artifacts that span over two hundred years of history of America's premier maritime service.
| Visit Ocean Beach Park on Ocean Avenue by the lighthouse. |  |
Visitors can play in beautiful clean beaches, use its water slide, pool, or play miniature golf.
Ivoryton Playhouse provides a year round professional season of theater and musicals.
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Nearby in Essex, take an Essex Steam Train and Riverboat Ride in 1920's style coaches pulled by a real steam locomotive. |
| Mystic Seaport is also nearby, and is an outdoor recreated 19th century village and educational maritime museum. |
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They provide plenty of artifacts, exhibits, a working preservation shipyard, and four National Historic Landmark vessels. These include the world's only whaling ship, the Charles W. Morgan, and a wooden steamboat built in the early 1900s during the tourism era, the Sabino.
Visitors will also find a full sized functional replica of Brant Point lighthouse, in which the original is located on Nantucket Island, in Massachusetts.
The Mystic Aquarium provides educational and up close exhibits of marine life that include sharks, jelly fish, eels, and barracuda.
At Steamboat dock, visit the Connecticut River Museum, where you can view a replica of the Turtle, America's first submarine, built in 1775, and other exhibits.
Directions:
- From Route I-95 N, take Exit 82A, From Route I-95 S, take Exit 82B to Colman Street turning right, then
- Left on Bank Street
- Right at Shaw Street, onto Pequot Ave
- Follow the Ocean Beach signs along Pequot Ave until you come to the lighthouse.
- Be wary that the keeper's residence is privately owned, and the grounds are not open to the public.
Contact Info:
New London Maritime Society
150 Bank Street,
New London, CT 06320
(860) 447-2501
Local Boat Cruises
Cross Sound Ferry Cruises
Provdes lighthouse cruises between southeast Connecticut and Long Island Sound (New York) lighthouses; The Classic Lighthouse Cruise, the Long Island Cruise, and the Lights and Sights Cruise. All three cruises include views of New London Harbor and New London Ledge lighthouses.
Books to Explore
To order a signed paperback copy: Available from bookstores in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.
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The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships: In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships amid social and political reforms. These giants of sail were the ten original six-masted coal schooners and one colossal seven-masted vessel, built to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies, and measured longer than a football field! This book, balanced with plenty of color and vintage images, showcases the historical accounts that followed these mighty ships. These true stories include competitions, accidents, battling destructive storms, acts of heroism, and their final voyages. |
My 300-page book, Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, provides special human interest stories from each of the 92 lighthouses, along with plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions you can explore, and tours. Take a look inside! |
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