Located at the mouth of the River Thames, the gateway to Port of New London, Connecticut, at the eastern end of Long Island is New London Ledge Lighthouse. Built in 1909 on the ledge of the Southwest, the lighthouse was originally called the Southwest Ledge Light, but to avoid confusion with another lighthouse in New Haven, southwest of Ledge Light, the lighthouse was renamed to New London Ledge Light in 1910.
The lighthouse itself is a unique, one-of-a-kind structure with red brick square room covered with a mansard roof (a French type of roof designed to maximize interior space of the attic) and a circular lantern room. To appease the residents who refused to consider an eyesore sitting in the sea, the lighthouse was built in French colonial style architecture in order to harmonize with the great and historic houses on the banks.
The lighthouse was finally built after half a century of petitions requesting an offshore lighthouse – the first in 1845 – from mariners and residents stating the threat to maritime traffic in the area due to the four inadequcy buoys port and The New London Harbor Lighthouse on the shore. The Lighthouse Board detailed the inherent dangers to maritime traffic at New London in Congress in 1902 and 1903, and requested funds for the construction of a lighthouse. Construction was completed in 1909. The U.S. Coast Guard officially took care of the lighthouse in 1939 and still keeps an eye on the place. Most of the lightkeeper ghost stories have come from the Coast Guard crews manning the lighthouse.
New London Ledge is locally known by the nickname Ernie ghost that supposedly pursues the lighthouse. The famous ghost legend Ernie was a lightkeeper allegedly jumped to his death from the roof of the lighthouse after learning that his wife ran off with the captain of the Block Island Ferry in 1936.
Ernie is said to know its presence by opening and closing doors, washing dishes, running light and fog signal, and untying secured boats to let them go. Before the station was automated, the crew of Coast Guard duty reported frequently hearing mysterious knocks at their door in the dormitories in the middle of the night, doors opening and closing, television is turned on and off repeatedly, and pulled the covers to his bed.
New London Ledge Lighthouse was the last remaining lighthouse open Long Island Sound, when it was finally automated in 1987. Since then, reports of Ernie's visits have dramatically decreased, most likely because there is almost never anyone. This seems to be a relief for those who were stuck manning the light house. The last day of the open reading operation shows a log entry, "mastery of a rock of a slow torture. Ernie. Hell on earth light shine. May New London Ledge on forever, because I'm through. I will see from afar while drinking a beer. "
There have been investigations into the lighthouse. Late 90s, a TV reporter from Japan spent a night inside the lighthouse to investigate the story of Ernie, whispers and noises were heard during the night, audible on camera. The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS), which have been known for his series "Ghost Hunters" on Sci-Fi Channel, investigated the site in 2005, but made important observations.
Today, the lighthouse is leased by the Coast Guard to the New London Ledge Lighthouse Foundation, partly funded by the City of New London. The beacon is used as a classroom sea, the Coast Guard while still maintaining the automated light. The group plans to eventually open the lighthouse as a museum and can offer overnight accommodation.
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