Frank L. McGuire portrait

The late Frank L. McGuire, Jr., a New London attorney, worked with the late Lucille Showalter and other civic leaders to create a non-profit organization to acquire New London's historic U. S. Custom House, which had been declared surplus by the federal government.  The New London Maritime Society was founded to preserve the granite Robert Mills landmark as a museum of maritime history and venue for cultural programs.  

The Society's library was dedicated to the memory of Frank McGuire in 1998 and has grown to its present size thanks to the interest and support of many individuals. In addition to purchases, the library has received significant gifts of books and other materials. The collections serve to locate the history of the port of New London and nearby shoreline communities within the larger context of North American and Caribbean maritime history.