New London Ledge Light

New London Ledge Lighthouse is a lighthouse on the Thames River in the U.S. state of Connecticut, at the mouth of New London Harbor. It was built in 1909 in the Second Empire style and was automated in 1987. In 1990, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The lighthouse is owned and maintained by the New London Maritime Society as part of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act program.^[5]

New London Ledge Light
New London Ledge Light

The lighthouse in 2022
Location	Thames River New London Harbor, Connecticut
Coordinates	41°18′21.18″N 72°04′38.82″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[1] [2]
Heritage	National Register of Historic Places listed place
Light
Focal height	58 ft (18 m)
Lens	Fourth order Fresnel lens (original), VRB-25[3] (current)
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
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Built	1909 (1909)
Built by	T.A. Scott Company (foundation) Hamilton R. Douglas Company (structure)
Architectural style	Second Empire
MPS	Operating Lighthouses in Connecticut MPS
NRHP reference No.	89001471[4]
Added to NRHP	May 29, 1990

History

New London Ledge Lighthouse was built in 1909 on the southwest ledge at the mouth of New London Harbor. It was originally called the Southwest Ledge light, but this caused confusion with Southwest Ledge Light in New Haven, Connecticut, so it was renamed New London Ledge Light in 1910. 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 New London Customhouse museum. The light was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.^[4]

• 
  Postcard, c.1930-45
• 
  The light's lantern and watch room in 1997
• 
  The top of the lighthouse in 2010

The submarine U.S.S. Memphis passes the light for the final time before being decommissioned in 2011

Ghost legend

Ledge Light has long been the subject of a ghost legend, centering around the supposed spirit of a former keeper named Ernie. The lighthouse has been featured on paranormal reality shows such as Scariest Places on Earth and Ghost Hunters. Investigators from The Atlantic Paranormal Society concluded on Ghost Hunters that there was not enough evidence to determine any paranormal activity taking place at the lighthouse, despite a few unexplained phenomena such as cold spots.^[6]

Head keepers

• 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)^[7]

See also

• Connecticut portal
• Engineering portal

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