New London Ledge Light
Encyclopedia
New London Ledge Lighthouse is a lighthouse
in Connecticut
,
United States, on the Thames River
, at the mouth of New London Harbor in Groton
, Connecticut
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
.
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 late 1990s
, a television reporter from Japan spent a night inside the lighthouse to investigate the story of Ernie, and loud whispering noises—audible on-camera—were heard throughout the night, as seen in an episode of ABC Family
's Scariest Places On Earth
. Ledge Light was also investigated by members of The Atlantic Paranormal Society
, or TAPS, in a 2005 episode of the show Ghost Hunters
. Following the investigation, TAPS announced that a few unexplained phenomena, such as cold spots, were detected at the lighthouse. However, they concluded that there not enough evidence to determine any paranormal activity taking place there.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
,
United States, on the Thames River
Thames River (Connecticut)
The Thames River is a short river and tidal estuary in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It flows south for through eastern Connecticut from the junction of the Yantic and Shetucket rivers at Norwich, to New London and Groton, which flank its mouth at the Long Island Sound.Differing from its...
, at the mouth of New London Harbor in Groton
Groton, Connecticut
Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
History
Southwest Ledge Light
Southwest Ledge Light is a lighthouse in New Haven, Connecticut.United States, on the reef at main entrance to New Haven Harbor. It was one of the first to be built on a cylindrical iron foundation, an innovation by Maj. George H...
, so in 1910 the lighthouse was renamed to New London Ledge Light. The United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
took over in 1939 upon its merger with the Lighthouse Service and the light was automated in 1987. The original fourth order Fresnel lens
Fresnel lens
A Fresnel lens is a type of lens originally developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for lighthouses.The design allows the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the mass and volume of material that would be required by a lens of conventional design...
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
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
"Ernie"
New London Ledge is locally famous for the ghost of an early keeper, nicknamed "Ernie," who allegedly haunts the lighthouse. The Coast GuardCoast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
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 late 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
, a television reporter from Japan spent a night inside the lighthouse to investigate the story of Ernie, and loud whispering noises—audible on-camera—were heard throughout the night, as seen in an episode of ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
's Scariest Places On Earth
Scariest Places On Earth
Scariest Places on Earth is an American paranormal documentary reality television series that originally aired from October 23, 2000 to October 29, 2006. The program was produced by Triage Entertainment for the Fox Family Channel, which is now ABC Family and owns the rights to the show...
. Ledge Light was also investigated by members of The Atlantic Paranormal Society
The Atlantic Paranormal Society
The Atlantic Paranormal Society is an organization that investigates reported paranormal activity. Based in Warwick, Rhode Island, United States, TAPS was founded in 1990 by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson. In 2004, the organization itself became the subject of Ghost Hunters, a popular weekly...
, or TAPS, in a 2005 episode of the show Ghost Hunters
Ghost Hunters
Ghost Hunters is an American paranormal reality television series that premiered on October 6, 2004, on Syfy . The program features paranormal investigators Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson who investigate places that are reported to be haunted. The two originally worked as plumbers for Roto-Rooter as...
. Following the investigation, TAPS announced that a few unexplained phenomena, such as cold spots, were detected at the lighthouse. However, they concluded that there not enough evidence to determine any paranormal activity taking place there.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in New London County, Connecticut
External links
- New London Ledge Lighthouse, Long Island Sound, East of main harbor channel, New London, New London County, CT: 12 photos and 9 data pages, at Historic American Engineering Record