New London Harbor Lighthouse

Year Built

1801

Cost

£715 ($928)

Type

Tapered octagonal tower with balcony and lantern

Height

89 feet

Location

West side of the entrance to New London Harbor

Automated Year

1912

First Lit

1801

Lens Type

Fourth order Fresnel lens (1857)

Fog Signal

None

Year Deactivated

Active

Color

White tower, black lantern

Last Keeper - Date

Joseph F. Woods (1911 – 1912)

Description

The lighthouse tower is owned and managed by: New London Maritime Society. The keeper's house is privately owned.

Brief History

•  The first lighthouse was a 64-foot stone tower with a wooden lantern was erected at the west side of the harbor entrance in 1761, paid for by money raised by selling lottery tickets.
•  New London Harbor Light was extinguished during the War of 1812 at the request of Commodore Decatur.
•  A new keeper's dwelling was built in 1818 for $1,200. The present keeper's house was built in 1863 and was enlarged in 1900.
•  In 1904 a new fog siren provoked complaints from the local summer residents.
•  In April 2005, it was announced that ownership of the lighthouse would be transferred to the New London Maritime Society under the provisions of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000.