New London Ledge Light

New London Ledge Light
New London Ledge Light

New London Ledge Light in 2011
Location	Thames River New London Harbor Connecticut United States
Coordinates	41°18′22″N 72°04′38″W
Tower
Constructed	1909
Foundation	concrete pier
Construction	granite and brick building
Automated	1987
Height	58 ft (18 m)
Shape	short cylindrical tower on 3-story dwelling
Markings	white tower, red lantern roof
Power source	solar power
Operator	New London Ledge Lighthouse Foundation
Heritage	National Register of Historic Places listed place
Light
Focal height	58 ft (18 m)
Lens	Fourth order Fresnel lens
Light source	solar power
Range	15 nmi (28 km; 17 mi)
Characteristic	three white flashes separated by 5 s, 10 s off, red flash, 10 s off

New London Ledge Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Groton, Connecticut, United States, on the Thames River, at the mouth of New London Harbor. It is currently owned and maintained by the New London Maritime Society as part of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act program.

History

Postcard, about 1910

New London Ledge Lighthouse was built in 1909 on the Southwest Ledge. It was originally called the Southwest Ledge light, but it was felt this could be confused with another lighthouse in New Haven, the Southwest Ledge Light, so in 1910 the lighthouse was renamed to New London Ledge Light. The United States Coast Guard took over in 1939 upon its merger with the Lighthouse Service and the light was automated in 1987. The original fourth order Fresnel lens was removed and was later put on display in the Custom House Maritime Museum. In 1990 the light was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

"Ernie"

One room in the lighthouse is being left in ruined condition, while the rest is being restored

New London Ledge is locally famous for the ghost of an early keeper, nicknamed "Ernie," who allegedly haunts the lighthouse. The Coast Guard crew on duty at the lighthouse, not automated until 1987, reported unexplained knockings taking place at night, as well as doors opening and closing repeatedly, the television turning on and off by itself sporadically, and the unexplained removal of sheets from beds.

In the crew's log, on the last night before the automated light system was installed, the unknown author, a Coast Guard officer, wrote the following: "Rock of slow torture. Ernie's domain. Hell on earth – may New London Ledge’s light shine on forever because I’m through. I will watch it from afar while drinking a brew."

In the 1990s, a television reporter from Japan spent a night inside the lighthouse to investigate the story of Ernie, and loud whispering noises—allegedly audible on-camera—were heard throughout the night. Ledge Light was furthermore featured on paranormal reality shows such as Scariest Places on Earth and Ghost Hunters. On the latter program, investigators from The Atlantic Paranormal Society concluded that despite a few unexplained phenomena, such as cold spots, there was not enough evidence to determine any paranormal activity taking place at the lighthouse.

Keepers

Head

• W.B. Petty (1909 – 1910)
• George E. Hansen (1910 – at least 1917)
• Howard B. Beebe (1926 – 1938)
• Leonard Fuller (at least 1940)
• Michael Scanlan (1943 – 1949)
• William Clark (1954 – 1959)

See also

• List of lighthouses in Connecticut
• List of lighthouses in the United States
• National Register of Historic Places listings in New London County, Connecticut

References

• Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. CT-172, "New London Ledge Lighthouse, Long Island Sound, East of main harbor channel, New London, New London County, CT", 12 photos, 9 data pages, 2 photo caption pages

External links

• United States Coast Guard