Welcome 2018.
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The Custom House will is closed for a holiday break until Thursday, January 11, 2018.   
 
January through April, the Custom House Maritime Museum is open
Thursday through Sunday, from 1 to 5 PM. 

What's Up at the Custom House  - December 31, 2017
New London Maritime Society - telling the stories of New London's waterfront & preserving four historic maritime sites.
2017
Above, we had a great year! 2017 highlights, clockwise from upper left, the first public visits to Race Rock Light, a performance about Augustin Fresnel, and a 2nd LIS Lighthouse Conference were among our 2017 lighthouse offerings; educational programs included our 3rd-grade local history program with NL Public Schools, a concert series, Steve Jones's ferry tour of Fishers Island Sound, and a dowsing workshop; Day photojournalists, Byron Huart, and David Zapatka exhibited their work at the Custom House; preservation efforts at the museum included rebuilding four lower-level windows and beginning plans to restore the custom house roof; our trustees celebrated NLMS's 34th year; work at Harbor Light included creating an opening in the lighthouse wall; architect Paul Farrell talked tugs and Thames towboats brought two to the waterfront for us to tour; collections now include a 1761 newspaper announcing the
 lottery to construct Harbor Lighthouse - Long Island Sound's first.
   
We truly miss the friends we lost this year: Bob Landry, who created 3 amazing 
lighthouses, trustees Jeff  Harris, Peggy Peters, and long-time supporter &  honorary trustee Sarah Steffian.
We're ready for the year ahead!
Above, visit the Custom House Maritime Museum and find out what made New London the city it is today. (Photo from 2015) 
   
We are glad you read our weekly email blasts.  
We are not salespeople but librarians, teachers, historians, & maritime aficionados. W e hate to ask but we really do need your support.  
Your Annual Fund gift helps keep the lights on & the museum warm as we preserve & share our authentic local maritime heritage.
 
Please help with a 2017 donation to our   2017 ANNUAL FUND.

Learn more HERE or make your donation online at nlmaritimesociety.org.
Keep up with what's up!
Sign up to receive this weekly email blast.
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Why not give this a try! Table Tennis is a popular international sport.
- New Table Tennis Club starting 1/3/18  -- this Wednesday!
- Location: New London VFW at the corner of Jefferson and Garfield Aves.
- Wednesday night play from 7-9pm.
- Four excellent tournament grade tables to play on.
- All skill levels welcome.
- Players must be 21 years of age or older.
- Club membership is $100 for full six months of play.
- Nightly play available for $10 per player. Table space permitting
- For more information please contact Dexter Johnson at 860-908-1253.


JD and Rob, left, volunteer at the Custom House. They take care of different types of construction and maintenance projects, as needed. In 2017 this included anything from taking down a wall, rebuilding a flag pole, and putting tires on our farm wagon/Jibboom parade float.  
 
We heartily thank all of our volunteers, docents, and trustees in 2017. It has been a full year!
 
 
 
Are you interested in helping out at the Custom House in 2018?  
There are many ways to participate and it's fun. Please email Linda at  [email protected]  and she will get you started. 
 
Facebook New London Maritime Society to learn about issues related to our mission of preservation & conservation . We also post community news and conservation / preservation articles.  
 
Custom House Maritime Museum  is on Facebook. 'Like' us to keep up with our events, & school visits, as
well as with news of interest about museums.      
 
 
 
There are some wonderful new books for young people at the Custom House MUSEUM SHOP 
 
Manfish, right, is a young adults biography of Jacques Cousteau. 
     
  
   


Facebook New London Harbor Light   reports the latest on NL Harbor 'Pequot' Light and about American lighthouse preservation.   We thank Superior Rental for their support of this project. 
We continue our work to re-establish public access to this beloved local historic landmark
 
Facebook  Race Rock Lighthouse posts news concerning Race Rock Light and international lighthouse tourism and preservation efforts.        
 
Facebook New London Ledge Light for history and cultural information about   the lighthouse in our harbor. 
 
Facebook Lighthouse Inn, New London, Connecticut to keep up with the Inn's restoration.   
 
Facebook  Lighthouses of Long Island Sound Gateway
  to learn news of other area  lighthouses.  
 
Find your lighthouse is a facebook page for world-wide lighthouse events & news.
 
 
   
~ Best Wishes for a Happy & Healthy 2018 ~
 
Membership rates will change early in 2018. 
Your membership matters! Join NLMS today.
New London Maritime Society thanks our Friends & Sponsors
 
  Robinson + Cole                                   Docko                  Cross Sound Ferry
   
John Steffian, Jr.
& the
Chester Kitchings Family Foundation
 
New London Maritime Society | 150 Bank Street, New London, CT 06320 | 860-447-2501
nl maritimesociety.org