Ghosts, Photos, and Finale

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Since the years of occupancy -- by keepers until 1939, by Coast Guardsmen until 1987 -- stories have circulated about paranormal activities at Ledge Light, about "Ernie" the ghost who knocks on walls, moves furniture around, turns lights on or off, and even washes floors. One version of the story says that Ernie is the ghost of a keeper who jumped to his death from the roof upon learning of his wife's infidelity.

Inspired by these stories, author Todd A. Gipstein has written a psychological thriller set at Ledge Light and Avery Point in Groton, one of the most accessible vantage points for viewing the lighthouse.  In the Shadow of the Light** tells the story of a paranormal investigator who spends a night on Ledge Light and goes mad. Did he encounter the ghost of Ernie?  Read the book to find out!

**Indianapolis, Dog Ear Publishing, 2015

Ledge Light's remote location and the fact that it looks like a house contributes to the spooky aura that seems to surround it. Lift it off its foundation and drop it into a bleak valley far from human habitation and you have yet another prime setting for a ghost story. 

On the other hand, Ledge Light is so often pictured with passing ships, ferries, sailboats and power boats, that it doesn't seem so remote or spooky after all. Instead, it serves as a picturesque focal point for marine activity.

It can be busy out there, as this gallery indicates: 

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When the wind whips up the waters of Long Island Sound and the Thames estuary, however, the isolation and vulnerability of Ledge Light is obvious, as seen in this moment caught by Sean Elliot of a wave striking the foundation with enough force to send water up to the cornice of the building.

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CONCLUSION OF THE EXHIBITION

When the New London Maritime Society assumed ownership of the Custom House in 1983, its founders could not have foreseen that the Bank Street landmark would be only the first of four historic maritime structures to come under its care.  In the 40th anniversary year of the Society's founding, this exhibition celebrates its stewardship in the new millenium of New London Harbor Light, Race Rock Light, and New London Ledge Light.

While the Fresnel lens of Ledge Light has been a prominent feature of the Society's Custom House Maritime Museum since it was replaced by modern lighting in 1984, the Museum's more recent models of its lighthouses are impressive likenesses of the cherished beacons that continue to guide ships along the nautical pathway to New London.

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An invitation to viewers

We would like to tell you more about the New London Maritime Society and its Custom House Maritime Museum. Click here to see our website and please consider supporting our work with a membership or a donation.  Thank you!