New London Ledge Lighthouse

History

Located at the mouth of the Thames River, entrance to New London Harbor, Connecticut at the eastern end of Long Island Sound sits the New London Ledge Lighthouse.

Built in 1909 on Southwest Ledge, the lighthouse was first called Southwest Ledge Light, but New Haven Harbor already had a lighthouse by that name, so in 1910 it was renamed New London Ledge Light. Its foundation is a crib built by the T.A. Scott Company of Groton, towed out, sunk in 28 feet of water and filled with concrete and riprap, topped by a 50-foot-square concrete pier.

This lighthouse itself is a unique, one-of-a-kind structure with square red brick quarters topped with a mansard roof (a French type of roof designed to make the most of the attic space) and a cast-iron lantern rising from the center of the roof.

To appease the wealthy shorefront residents who didn’t want to gaze upon an eyesore sitting in the sea, the lighthouse was built in Colonial and French architectural style in order to blend in with the large and historic homes on the shores.

The lighthouse was finally built after a half-century of petitions requesting an offshore lighthouse – the first one in 1845 – from mariners and residents stating the dangers to maritime traffic in the area due to the inadequacy of the four buoys in the harbor and the New London Harbor Lighthouse on the shore.

The Lighthouse Board detailed the inherent dangers to maritime traffic at New London to Congress in 1902 and 1903 and requested funds for constructing a lighthouse. The construction was completed in 1909. The Coast Guard took over in 1939, when the Lighthouse Service was merged into it, and still maintains the light and fog signal. The original Fresnel lens is now on display at the Custom House Maritime Museum in New London.

The ghost stories (legend)

Most of the stories of the ghostly lightkeeper have come from the Coast Guard crews manning the lighthouse. New London Ledge is locally famous for the ghost nicknamed Ernie who allegedly haunts the lighthouse.

The famous ghost legend: Ernie was a keeper who supposedly jumped, or fell, to his death from the roof after learning that his wife had run off with the captain of the Block Island ferry, sometime in the 1920s or ’30s (1936 is the year most often given). Some versions say his real name was John Randolph. No keeper by that name, and no such death, has turned up in the records. The New England Ghost Project has suggested another theory: that “Ernie” is the spirit of a construction worker who fell from the roof. Ernie is said to make his presence known by opening and closing doors, washing the decks, operating the light and fog signal, and untying secured boats to let them drift away. Before the station was automated, Coast Guard crews on duty reported frequently hearing mysterious knocks on their bedroom doors in the middle of the night, doors opening and closing, the television being turned on and off repeatedly, and covers pulled off the end of their bed.

The New London Ledge Lighthouse was the last remaining manned lighthouse on 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 hardly ever anyone there. This seems to be a relief to those who were stuck manning the light house.

The last Coast Guard crew is said to have left a farewell in the station’s log that complained about life on the rock and mentioned Ernie. There have been several investigations at the lighthouse.

In the late ’90s, a Japanese TV crew reportedly spent a night inside the lighthouse to investigate the story of Ernie, and loud whispering noises were heard through the night, audible on camera.

The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS), who have become known by their series “Ghost Hunters”, are also said to have looked into the story, though we couldn’t confirm what they found.

How strong is the lore? Strong as legend, thin as history. Ernie is one of New England’s best-known lighthouse ghosts, and the Coast Guard stories are first-hand, but there’s no evidence the keeper behind the name ever existed.

For years the lighthouse was leased to the New London Ledge Lighthouse Foundation, whose volunteers restored much of the interior. In 2015 the government announced that ownership would go to the New London Maritime Society, which now runs the tours, and the Coast Guard continues to maintain the automated light.

Visiting today (checked November 2026)

New London Ledge is offshore, on its own pier in the harbor, so the only way to visit is by boat on an organized tour. You cannot walk or drive to it.

In 2026 the New London Maritime Society scheduled 90-minute trips from the City Pier in downtown New London (behind the train station, 1 Waterfront Park): 15 minutes out, an hour inside the lighthouse including the climb to the lantern room, and 15 minutes back. Listed prices were $55 general admission, $35 for 16 and under, $40 for Society members, and $5 for New London and Groton residents through a grant. Landing means stepping off the boat and climbing a ladder, there are no toilets, and trips are weather- and tide-dependent.

However, the Society’s booking page now says it has “canceled all Ledge Light tours for the present, due to circumstances outside our control.” No new dates had been posted when we checked in early November 2026, and the Ledge Light Foundation is also pointing visitors to the Society for future dates. Check the New London Maritime Society (860-447-2501) before planning a trip. You can see the lighthouse from shore along the New London and Groton waterfront and from ferries leaving New London.

FAQ

Who is Ernie?

The legend says Ernie was a keeper who jumped from the roof after his wife left him, most often in 1936. No record of such a keeper has been found.

What does Ernie do?

He is said to open and close doors, wash the decks and turn the light and fog signal on and off.

Can you visit?

Only by boat on an organized tour. The New London Maritime Society ran trips from New London’s City Pier in summer 2026 but has since cancelled all Ledge Light tours for now. Check its site for new dates.

More haunted lighthouses in New England

Read about Seguin Island and Owls Head.

Sources

• New London Maritime Society: Explore Ledge Light booking page: tour details and cancellation notice
• CTvisit: Explore Ledge Light: 2026 dates and prices
• Jeremy D’Entremont, New England Lighthouses: New London Ledge Light history: construction, renaming, Ernie legend, 2015 transfer
• New London Maritime Society: Calendar: contact

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