PLEASE
CONTRIBUTE
No matter how the wind howls or the sea lashes, we see clear sailing ahead for our work preserving and promoting New London's maritime heritage.
None of what we do would be possible without support from like-minded individuals whose contributions keep us going every single day, week, month, and year; whether we're running a boat tour to Plum Island, or researching a manuscript in our library. By
contributing to the Society's Annual Fund, you provide the essential
day-to-day support that enables us to preserve, protect, and present New
London's maritime heritage.
Every contribution counts.
Please take a moment to make a 100% tax deductible donation to the New London Maritime Society. The New London Maritime Society
is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization, tax ID #06-10866688.
New London Maritime Society (NLMS) - CUSTOM HOUSE MARITIME MUSEUM 150 Bank Street, New London, Connecticut 06320 - phone: 860-447-2501 fax: 860-447-8086
The Custom House Maritime Museum - your local, independent, community museum - open year-round - telling the stories of New London's waterfront!
EXHIBITIONS
Race Rock Light Curated by Pierce Rafferty.
Alton Beaudoin & Mystic Knotwork
A Family of Knotters - through March 2015
AMISTAD: A True Story of Freedom
a permanent exhibition at the site of the original Amistad events of 1839.
See New London Maritime Society's Amistad exhibition at United Nations headquarters, NYC, March 2010. HERE. International Day of Rememberance - United Nations - March 25, 2012
from two private collections: Jay Kane and Ed Uditis.
The
museum's most important artifact may well be the building, itself. Built
in 1833 as New London's U.S Custom House and designed by architect Robert Mills,
it has been the museum's home since 1983.
PUBLICATIONS
Read the new 2015 WINTER NEWSLETTER
Keep up with what's happening: read the weekly e-blast
Facebook New London Harbor Light
Facebook Race Rock Lighthouse
Facebook Sentinels on the Sound
Facebook MUSEUM SHOP
Facebook Lighthouse Inn
Learn about our Book of the Month
In the NEWS
Every Thursday, from 5 to 6 o'clock PM we're on TV. Watch New London Maritime Society Custom House Maritime Matters, on New London Metrocast cable TV, channel 25, with host Dr. George Sprecace.
VIDEO
In 2013, the US Postal Service made a youtube video about New London Harbor Light. See it HERE.
Watch what we do
The New London Maritime Society/Custom House Maritime Museum is made possible by generous grants from The Chester Kitchings Family Foundation, the Gilder Lehrman Institute, National Endowment for the Humanities, the Connecticut Humanities Council, Dominion Foundation, the Bodenwein Public Benevolent Foundation, the Frank Loomis Palmer Fund, the Community Foundation of Eastern CT, Veolia / New London Water Authority, & and by the work of dedicated volunteers, members & friends.
New London Maritime Society - open year-round
your local, independent, community museum,
telling the stories of New London's waterfront.
OPEN Tuesday through Sunday, 1 to 5 PM, Admission $5.
150 Bank Street, New London, CT 06320 - 860-447-2501
WHAT'S UP at the CUSTOM HOUSE ?
NLMS visits the Lightship Nantucket in Boston.
REVISED FIGURES: Phase I restoration of New London Harbor 'Pequot' Light - including additional seawall masonry, is almost complete! We still need $18,000. Donate today!
Our campaign Be Part of Something BIG, raised nearly $2000,000 in donations and lighthouse program revenues, and an estimated $300,000+ in in-kind donations. Spring's appeal in honor of NLMS past president Ben Martin has raised another $60,000. Donations still may be sent to Ben Martin Lighthouse Fund, Custom House Maritime Museum, 150 Bank Street, New London, CT 06320, or use donation button at right. Ben
was instrumental in developing our lighthouse programs--for both
preservation & recreation--and we appreciate his
leadership and vision.
Thank you to everyone contributing to this tremendous effort!
We'll post process photos of the restoration on facebook.
Visit the MUSEUM SHOP for terrific gifts for all ages.
We have sailing ship kites, deep-sea dive children’s lunch sets, nautical clocks, elegant scarves, submarine toys, rubber stamps, rubber duckies, cookie cutters, -time gifts, maritime books, and sea creature ornaments. We have Lighthouse Keepers caps, Moby Dick- the card game, balloon-powered toy boats, whales of every sort, books for the very young and the very sophisticated.
Enjoy the season. NLMS members receive 10% off their purchase.
The MUSEUM SHOP is open from 1 to 5 PM Thursday through Sunday! 150 Bank Street, New London. 860-447-2501.
Above: our new gull stuffed toys! Just $12.
EVENTS
SUPPORT US
Our Lighthouse Sponsors:
The Chester Kitchings Family Foundation
Frank Loomis Palmer Fund
Veolia Water / New London Water Authority
Cristifori Foundation
CTrides/Shore Line East
Dave Fallon
David Lersch
Dept of Eco. Dev. State Dept. of Tourism
H.Carr & Son
Rogovin Moving and Storage
Shennecossett Yacht Club
LLL Foundation
the Eschenfelder Family
We participate in the BlueStar Museums
program, providing free admission to active-duty members of the armed services and their families all year.
On behalf of the SYC, Diana (Mimi) Tyler presents director Susan Tamulevich with a check from the Shennecossett Yacht Club Lighthouse Regatta, held on August 2, 2014. And the good news is: they're going to do it again in 2015!
November 10, 1909 - NL Ledge Lighthouse was completed 105 years ago.
November 7, 1761: the day 253 years ago New London Harbor Light was first lit.
October 26, 2014: The 2014 Boat - Lighthouse Tour Season is now over - We had a TERRIFIC SUMMER and will do more of the same in 2015
See our 2014 LIGHTHOUSE TOUR SCHEDULE
August 25, 1839: 175 years ago, La Amistad came to New London
July 31, 1789: 225 years ago, congress established the US Customs Service!
April 21, 2014: We won Yankee Magazine's 'Best of New England Travel 2014' Editors' Choice for Best Lighthouse Tours
READ OUR new AUTUMN 2014 NEWSLETTER
Want to know what's up?
Volunteer at the Custom House!
Visit our sister Custom House in Newburyport, MA.
Seafood WATCH - What seafood to buy now.
Click right to see > Community / History Links
For all events going on Downtown, visit the
from the office of Congressman Joe Courtney: Honoring Connecticut’s,Role in Abolishing Slavery 150 Years Later, Resource Guide to accompany the 2012 movie Lincoln,
Alton Beaudoin & Mystic Knotwork
A Family of Knotters
This fall, we present the extravagant rope work of two generations
of local maritime knotters: the Beaudoins of Mystic.
Alton Beaudoin could tie 400 knots from memory. He learned his fancy rope work as a seaman in the 1930-40s, including eight years spent aboard the square-rigged Joseph Conrad, when it was a training ship for merchant seamen. Decades later, having retired as an Inside Machinist at Electric Boat, he indulged his hobby creating such wonders as the elegant sennit frame shown above (& now at the Custom House) out of approximately 100 miles of white twine.
He passed his knotting skills to his family. Today, a grandson,
Mat Beaudoin (above), carries on the tradition at Mystic Knotwork in
Stonington’s Velvet Mill. We have Matt’s work on display, too
and Mystic Knotwork’s napkin rings,and doormats are for sale in the MUSEUM SHOP.
Remember: The Custom House is available for private rentals. NB: Per the fire marshal, our maximum occupancy is 49 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.
To cement the localization of the ownership and management of Ledge Light, the New London Ledge Lighthouse Foundation has terminated its status as a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation (ALF), of Maine, effective December 19, 2014. As the ALF’s lease to the lighthouse had expired and ownership of Ledge Light had been transferred to the New London Maritime Society, the Foundation believed it made sense that the Ledge Light Foundation follow the deed to its new owners.
We look forward to their ongoing work at Ledge Light. It has come a long way since the Foundation began work out there in 1988, and we are excited about partnering with them as we assume stewardship of this treasured local maritime landmark.
We have one more SEAL WATCH boat trip this winter
~ Saturday, March 21, 2 - 4:30 PM
Our trip features cookies & hot chocolate & free admission to the Custom House Maritime Museum!
Buy tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1017664
Double click here to add text.
NLMS 2015 Reid MacCluggage Black
Maritime History Scholarship
for High School Juniors & Seniors
Write an essay, short story, poem, play, movie script or Novella about the African-American experience in the maritime world for the chance to win a $1000 scholarship!
New London Maritime Society announces that applications will be accepted for the 2015 Reid MacCluggage Black Maritime History Scholarship through February 28, 2015.
Click HERE for all the information.
Matt Beaudoin Artist Talk - The Life of a Knotter
Sunday, March 22, at 2 PM
Matt Beaudoin,of Mystic Knotwork, will give an artist talk about maritime knots and his grandfather's passion for knotting - at the Custom House. Free.
This talk is in conjunction with an exhibition of the extravagant rope work of two generations of local maritime knotters: Alton Beaudoin & Mystic Knotwork: A Family of Knotters.
