This lighthouse is located between New London and Groton, CT where the Thames River meets the waters of Fishers Island Sound. Rather than building the spark-plug lighthouse design typical of the early 1900's, Ledge Light turned into more of a mansion on the water. Styled in French 2nd Empire, this ornate structure built in 1909 features five floors, eleven rooms, and a mansard roof with corners facing the four cardinal compass points. Standing sentinel, the lighthouse guided early century tall ships and modern submarines between the shores of New London and Groton. Ledge Lighthouse was the last manned light in Long Island Sound until its automation in 1989.
At the time of my visit here in 2001, tours to the lighthouse ran from mid-Jun to Labor Day, each with a duration of 2 1/2 hours. As part of the tour, you could hear of Ernie the Ghost. His wife, as the story goes, ran away with a tugboat captain, leaving Ernie so distraught that he stuck himself with a knife and jumped off the top of the lighthouse. Legend has it, Ernie's been ambling around for quite some time and his domain is the New London Ledge Lighthouse.
This lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is like no other lighthouse.
2 comments:
Oh...poor Ernie. I wonder if anyone lives there now. What did they use all those rooms for? Beautiful place.
Hi Judy;
Thanks for your comment. To my knowledge, the rooms were originally used by the lighthouse keepers and their families. However, now days their like a museum and no lives there.
Post a Comment