New London Ledge Light
 | |
  Connecticut | |
| Location | Groton, Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°18′21.6″N 72°04′38.9″W / 41.306000°N 72.077472°W |
| Year first constructed | 1909 |
| Year first lit | 1909 |
| Automated | 1987 |
| Foundation | Concrete pier |
| Construction | Granite and Brick |
| Tower shape | Small cylindrical tower on 3-story dwelling |
| Height | 58 ft (18 m) |
| Original lens | Fourth order Fresnel lens |
| Current lens | Solar powered 190 MM lens |
| Characteristic | three white flashes separated by 5 s, 10 s off, red flash, 10 s off |
| Admiralty number | J0730 |
| ARLHS number | USA-542 |
| USCG number | 1-21825 |
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.[1]
History
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"
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.[2]
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." [2]
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.[3]
See also
References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to New London Ledge Light. |
External links
- 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
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
