What's New

3.3.11 It's always great when a school group visits the Custom House. Today we had Harbor School's fifth grade Lighthouse Kids.

It was a special day--and a special class--for a couple of reasons: 1.) we had Geoff Kauffman teach the kids about work sngs and sea shanties,

and 2.) we received a magnificent check from Dominion Nuclear to support our Lighthouse Kids!

Dominion Nuclear has a special interest in supporting school programs that promote an understanding of environmental issues related to Long Island Sound.

Above: Nancy Bulkeley, of Dominion Nuclear, presents the check to SEMI / Lighthouse Kids instructor Jodi Barthels. THANK YOU!

3.3.11 The songs learned today include sea shanties, which were used by sailors to keep in rhythm when hoisting the sails and hauling in the anchor aboard ship.

Far left: the Lighthouse Kids learn the song "You can't eat the oysters in New Haven Harbor," a song about how pollution affects the ecosystem, and show us their oyster shells. Near left: Maritime Society trustee Jim Fleishell tells the students about his time aboard the USCG Eagle.

Jim was one of a half-dozen NLMS trustees, who showed up on Thursday to personally thank Nancy and Dominion for their generous support of this program. Dominion's contribution paid for the eight visits by Geoff Kauffman to our Lighthouse Kids classes this winter, and will cover the costs for supplies and additional field trips for the students this spring.

3.1.11 We received the good news today that Fisher's Island Schools soon will join our Lighthouse Kids program. The SEMI/Lighthouse Kids program with the New London Public Schools was developed by Jodi Barthel as a way to provide enrichment experiences to suppliment student's science, math and other studies.

Our goal is to grow the Lighthouse Kids program to reach students throughout New London County and beyond. We would like each of the area lighthouses to be 'adopted' by a participating school.

3.1.11 Volunteer Scott Lang (far left) has been helping us out lately at the Custom House. Most recently, he hung our new banner, featuring the Lighthouse Kids, on the museum's front column facing down Bank Street.

The banner was a nice surprise for the Harbor School 5th-grade Lighthouse Kids, who visited the museum later in the week.

3.1.11 Unfortunately, the museum sees its share of vandalism. The latest incident happened late last Saturday night, when someons cut the lines to our front flagpole--the pole for our OPEN banner.

This afternoon, to the rescue came City of New London Highway Department workers who, under the guidence of trustee Rob Pittaway used their cherry picker to install new lines to the flag pole. We would especially like to thank Pete Mercuri, and Bruce Tackling (in the cherry picker) for helping us out.

3.7.11 We have a great opportunity to purchase two large (8' x 18') WPA-era paintings: of Mystic harbor and of New London Harbor Light. Details of the fund-raising campaign to follow. We hope to have the paintings for SUMMER.

3.7.11 Fianlly, we are getting details of some of our New London lighthouse weekend (July 1-3) partners' events. From Todd & Marsha Gipstein and the Ledge Light Foundation are two great events:

1.) Ledge Lighthouse Interpretive Center Grand Opening click > HERE to see more.

Saturday, July 2, at Ledge Light

There will be a ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the new Ledge Lighthouse Interpretive Center, located at Ledge Lighthouse. The New London Ledge Lighthouse Foundation has fixed up various rooms at the light and created displays and exhibits in them. These include: a gallery of photographs; exhibit room with displays explaining facets of the light’s operation and history; a theater where documentaries and other films about lighthouses will be shown; a navigation & chart room; a keeper’s room furnished in the style of the 1930s and including a figure of Ernie, the keeper whose ghost is believed to haunt Ledge Light; and other interpretive displays. The Interpretive Center is an ongoing effort that will change and evolve over time. Ledge Lighthouse can be visited through tours run by Project Oceanology, w hich will run special tours on Sunday, July 3. Project O is located at Avery Point in Groton. More information at: www.LedgeLighthouse.org

2.) Book Signing: Legacy of the Light

Friday, July 1, at the Custom House

Todd Gipstein will sign copies of his new novel “Legacy of the Light.” This historical thriller focuses on two generations of lighthouse keepers serving on Race Rock Lighthouse, off the tip of Fishers Island. The action takes places in 1907 and a generation later, much of it the day of the great Hurricane of 1938. The book explores the influence of the past on the present, family relationships, mysterious visitors to the lighthouse, love, guilt, redemption and the strange workings of fate. The story takes place in the local area: Race Rock, Groton, New London and even the Custom House. A mix of fact and fiction, the story moves briskly and is full of twists and turns that will keep readers enthralled. Todd will talk a bit about researching and writing the book, and copies will be available at the signing. More information at: www.Gipstein.com

3.4.11 We are lucky this semester to have Connecticut College international studies student Prashanth Selvam helping redesign the US Customs & Border Patrol exhibition. Far left, Prashanth begins his research.

3.17.11 This year's Saint Patrick's Day Parade in New London was better than ever. Here are some scenes from Thursday as observed from across Bank Street just at the Custom House.

There were a number of surprises this year. In the past, the parade usually lasted about five minutes. This year, the parade began later, at 3 o;clock, to allow school children to participate. The parade lasted just less than on hour.

In additonal to the enjoyable yet predictable bagpipers and step dancers, the parade featured motorcyclists, cyclists, Irish Wolf Hounds and Irish Setters, a highland beast of some sort, lively school groups, and a great number of politicians.

Of course, we always love to see the two Lonnie Braxtons...

All-in-all, a great time was had by everyone!

3.15.11 We still have another couple of weeks before the museum opens for the season but you'd never know it. Tuesday brought in dozens of visitors, among them Michael Falstad (left), of John Milner Associates, a preservation architect who will be completing a survey and report about New London Harbor Light. Michael drove up from Delaware, where he was working on another lighthouse. On that project, he learned that the cast-iron parts of many Atlantic lighthouses were ordered like a kit from a single large manufacturer. Our current 1801 tower has an iron stairway inside it but probably, he said, the stair originally was made of wood. Michael spent the day at the lighthouse examining, measuring, photographing. We look forward to his report, which will provide an historic-preservation blueprint for the lighthouse as we move forward. The study was financd by a grant from the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation matched by funds from the Kitchings Family Foundation.

3.29.11 These last days of March have been chilly, but today was the best of the lot: sunny, calm, warmish--and today our friends from New London Public School, who have visited the Custom House this past year, returned a favor. Your museum director was invited on an amazing Project Oceanography boat trip up the Thames River! The photos above show some of our Lighthouse Kids and the ELL class from Benny Dover Middle School. Thank you to Semi instructor Jody Barthel and BD Middle School teacher Stephanie Morton--it was a terrific experience!

3.25.11 Not only NLPS students get to visit the lighthouse. On Friday, several local home-school families gathered at the Custom House. In addition to learning the Amistad story, they also visited inside New London Harbor Light.

3.22.11 Dave Aiken, of Senkow Building, is overseeing the next phase of our courtyard ramp construction. We are now to fire code with the railing. Next week, the steps to the basement and bulkhead will be rebuilt! It's great to think the courtyard will be back in action in time for Spring!