New London Ledge Lighthouse, New London, Connecticut:
Built in 1909, this Second Empire style lighthouse with a mansard roof sits at the mouth of the Thames River. It has weathered every storm since its construction, including the 1938 New England Hurricane. The United States Coast Guard took over possession of the lighthouse in 1939, upon its merger with the Lighthouse Service.
The light was automated in 1987, when its last lighthouse keeper shipped out to dry land. The original Fresnel lens was removed and later put on display in the Custom House Maritime Museum. The property is currently owned and maintained by the New London Maritime Society as part of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. Local lore claims that New London Ledge Light is haunted by a former lighthouse keeper named Ernie.
