Climbing New London Harbor Lighthouse

Did you know that you can climb the oldest and tallest lighthouse in Connecticut and on Long Island? In New London, Connecticut, the New London Maritime Society offers tours of the lighthouse where you can climb the 116 steps to the lantern room for some seriously awesome views.

History of New London Harbor Lighthouse

The New London Harbor Light is located at the entrance to New London Harbor in Connecticut. It is the oldest and tallest lighthouse in the state and on Long Island Sound. The original lighthouse was established in 1760, making it one of the earliest navigational aids in the American colonies. This original structure was a 64-foot stone tower built to guide ships into the busy port of New London, which was a vital hub for fishing, whaling, and trade.

In 1801, the original lighthouse was replaced with the current octagonal brownstone tower, which stands 90 feet tall. Built under the direction of architect Abisha Woodward, the new tower featured an improved design and better visibility.

New London Harbor Light played a key role during both wartime and peacetime, including during the American Revolution and the War of 1812, when it helped guide American ships to safety. Today, automated and still active, the lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

How To Book A Tour

The New London Maritime Society offers tours of this lighthouse year-round. Tickets can be purchased on their website. The tickets will be delivered to you via email. The money that you pay for the tour goes directly to helping preserve this historic lighthouse.

Getting to the Lighthouse

The lighthouse is located on Pequot Avenue in New London. The lightkeeper’s house is actually a private residence, so there is no parking on the property. You will park on the street across from the lighthouse. There is a wood gate you’ll see next to the road, park across from that. That is the access path to the lighthouse. A docent from the New London Maritime Society will meet you there.

Touring New London Harbor Lighthouse

The tour will start with the docent giving you some background about the lighthouse and its history. They have brochures as well if you’re looking for a more detailed history.

You’ll walk down a short path that will take you towards to shoreline where the lighthouse is. There is a plaque you will see with some information about how the New London Maritime Society acquired the lighthouse.

Next, you’ll get to admire the views of the harbor from the rocky shoreline. The rocky shoreline is a bit uneven, so make sure you’re wearing shoes with some good traction and watch your step. The shoreline is made up of large, jagged rocks.

Be sure to also check out the lightkeeper’s house! While it’s not open to the public, you are able to see the side of the house that faces the water.

Once you’re done admiring the shoreline at the base, you can head inside the lighthouse. Before you climb the lighthouse, you will be asked to sign a paper that says that you don’t have any medical issues that will make climbing the lighthouse a risk like heart issues or asthma. Getting to the top of the lighthouse requires climbing 116 steps.

Once you get to the lantern room at the top of the lighthouse, you will be greeted by a fourth order Fresnel lens. This lens has been lighting the lighthouse since 1857. The light from this lens can be seen for 10-15 nautical miles. It’s pretty impressive to think about when you see the little bulbs that are inside the lens!

In addition to the lens, you will be rewarded with some beautiful views of the harbor and surrounding landscape. You’ll be able to see a couple lighthouses in the distance like New London Ledge Light and Avery Point Lighthouse.

At this particular lighthouse, you cannot step outside once at the top since it is not safe to do so. But, you can still enjoy all of the views from inside the lantern room and get great pictures. The docent we had was pretty flexible and we were able to stay up there as long as we wanted.

What To Know Before You Go

If you’re interested in visiting this lighthouse, there are a few things to know before you go. First, they only do tours with 5 people at a time. This is really due to the fact that there really is not a ton of space at the top of the lighthouse in the lantern room.

Speaking of there not being a lot of space in the lantern room, it can be a bit tight as you make your way up into the lantern room. If you’re claustrophobic, you might not want to climb the lighthouse. And if you have a fear of heights, it might not be for you because the tower is 90 feet tall.

The property is small that the lighthouse sits on. Since it’s 90 feet tall, it’s hard to get a nice, full view of the lighthouse while you’re on the property. To get a full view of the lighthouse, drive down towards Ocean Beach Park and park along the street once you’re able to see it from Pequot Avenue.

If you do decide to purchase a ticket to tour the lighthouse, you can also visit the Custom House Maritime Museum, which is run by the New London Maritime Museum. The museum is located on Bank Street in New London.

There are a lot of cool pieces of history inside the museum. You can also see the fourth-order Fresnel lens that was once inside New London Ledge Light, which is another lighthouse that the New London Maritime Society also owns. It’s definitely worth a visit if you have time!

Related

If you love lighthouses, be sure to check out my post 10 Connecticut Lighthouses You Don’t Want To Miss.

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