New London Harbor Lighthouse

The
oldest
and
tallest
The small state of Connecticut has an impressive twenty one lighthouses but the very first one was built on the banks of the Thames River in New London. Certainly not surprising because the city was a important center of commence and shipping in the past.
The first lighthouse in this location was built back in 1761, and the money for the lighthouse was collected from a lottery, a common way from the states to get funds to build things back then.
The first light didn’t last long and was starting to fall apart by the turn of the century so a new and stronger lighthouse made out of brownstone with a brick liner was built in 1801. It remains the fifth oldest lighthouse still standing in the United States.
The light is about 90 feet tall, which makes it the tallest light in the state. It had a 4^th order Fresnel Lens installed in the 1850s and the wonderful lens still remains in the lighthouse.
The historic lighthouse was in private hands for many years but was turned over to the New London Maritime Society in the 2009. Unfortunately the grounds are still private and inaccessible except at certain times. Good views can be had from the water or with a bit of creativity.
A lovely and historic lighthouse that is an amazing contrast to the much newer and fancier New London Ledge Lighthouse about a half mile away in the harbor. A very cool, old and important lighthouse that is unfortunately very difficult to see.