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What's Up at the Custom House
March 24, 2024
Photos, above: Congratuations to Christina Corcoran, Hallsi Rose, Fred Killian, Kayden, and Karter on the float for New London's St. Patrick's Day Parade, and to Henry Savin, who pulled the boat! Such a great showing for NLMS & downtown New London -- we loved it! Thank you, Christina!
The Custom House is open Thurs.-- Fri., 1 to 5 PM, Sat. 1 0 AM to 5 PM; & Sun. 1 to 5 PM. The Custom House will be closed next Sunday, March 31, for Easter.
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Donations like yours make moments like this.
Your generous contributions sustain NLMS. Please DONATE today!
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Cheers to our sponsors - Charter Oak Credit Union - Chelsea Groton Foundation - Community Foundation of Eastern CT - Eleven+ - Frank Loomis Palmer Fund - General Dynamics/Electric Boat - General Dynamics/Electric Boat - Maco Family Fund - Robinson+Cole - Veolia/NL Water Authority - Yankee Remodeler. Thank you! | |
What can you do with an NLMS membership?
You know us from museum visits, Jibboom events, and Lighthouse tours, but did you know NLMS members also have access to research materials, extra discounts in the Shop and to special events?
Become an NLMS member - sign up today (pdf). or Sign up online.
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Tuesday, April 16, 1:30 PM
JIBBOOM Club #1
Jibboom is not a club, but a friendly gathering with a speaker, treats, and good fellowship. The event is FREE to all - please come on April 16, and bring a friend. Sponsored by the Maco Family Fund.
Photo: Peter Emanual at the March Jibboom.
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The Ellery F. Thompson Archive in McGuire Library
The collection of Ellery Thompson's paintings at the Custom House is the largest on permanent, public display. Thompson, who died in 1986, would be surprised to learn that the building which he often visited on business as a fishing boat owner - and to which he was once summoned to explain his involvement with rum-running - now houses a striking collection of his work. He would be even more surprised to learn that a collection of his papers is now preserved upstairs in the McGuire Library.
A Finding Aid for researchers has now been created listing its contents: thirteen letters, thirty published articles about him, papers of all kinds related to events in his life, and several photographs. The largest part of the collection is 370 typed pages of memoirs produced during his retirement years in Mystic. Much of their content appears in similar form in his books, Draggerman’s Haul and Come Aboard the Draggers, but a great deal does not. Plans for a third book, Draggerman’s Loot, never materialized, but much of it may be read here. Ellery spent hours with his typewriter revisiting New York’s Fulton Fish Market, the Hurricane of 1938, the golden age of passenger steamboats, his relations with women, his painting, and much else. Donated by the late Marion Krepcio, the typescripts served as the inspiration for the Library’s two online exhibitions about Thompson. The pages of the Finding Aid will be added to the exhibitions in coming weeks.
--Brian Rogers
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By appointment year-round
a popular destination for more than a century.
Visit Inside NL Harbor Pequot Light
It's Long Island Sound's oldest and tallest lighthouse.
Climb 116 steps up into the lighthouse lantern. The views are spectacular! Tours take approximately 40 minutes. To book a tour for up-to five people, send us an email.
Tours are available every Saturday and Sunday at 11:45, or you may schedule a custom time during the week. Please provide two day's notice for a custom tour. Tickets are $35, $30 for NLMS members, $25 youth through age 18.
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through Saturday, March 30
20% SPRING SALE in the SHOP*
Dates Extended
New London Maritime Society members receive an additional 10% discount = 30% off.
Visit the gift shop in the museum for a playful curation of artworks, treasures aquatic, books, unique local souvenirs, and imaginative sustainable inclusive children’s toys. These are items to give or perhaps to keep for yourself. All purchases have an extra feel good factor: when you shop with us, you support museum exhibitions, educational programs, and help preserve three landmark Long Island Sound lighthouses.
Hours are Thursday, Friday, & Sunday from 1 to 5 PM and Saturdays from 10 AM til 5 PM. Admission to the Shop is free.
*Lighthouse t-shirts and NLMS mugs are program fundraisers and not part of the Sale.
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next Sunday, March 31 (yes, Easter!), 6-9 PM
Open Mic at the Museum
Our 34th monthly Open Mic welcomes music, poetry, prose, stand-up -- or you can just say what's on your mind. Come on, give it a try; it's a friendly crowd.
Co-hosted by Kenny "Doc" Frazier and Christina Corcoran, Open Mic meets on the last Sunday of the month at the beautiful Custom House Maritime Museum.
Can't make it downtown? The program will be livestreamed on the
Custom House Maritime Museum's Facebook page.
Photo: a performer at February's Open Mic.
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This week at the Custom House
Both the good & the ugly showed up this week at the Custom House.
The good -- the great -- was a killer Parade, the return of Jibboom, & a very satisfying start to Spring!
The ugly? Well, it's only temporary...
However we were caught unawares when sidewalk demolition started Thursday afternoon, shaking the museum to its core and compelling us to close our doors both Thursday & Friday! Public Works kindly provided a ramp, so our Spring Sale commenced two days late -- on Saturday.
As a result we are extending the Spring Sale through next Saturday, March 30.
NB: Next Sunday is Easter, so the museum will be closed -- Open Mic will go ahead that evening.
Visit our sale.
Celebrate the new sidewalks!
If only they incorporated a few street trees...
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On the HarborCam Thursday morning, the ferries tilted east as waves broke high against the base at Race Rock.
About 9:30 AM, two Navy escorts appeared off Ledge Light -- a signal that a sub might be coming in. A tug appeared, then there it was: the submarine. And despite gusts of 30MPH, sailors were lined up standing on the topside.
Pausing off the Ft Trumbull Pier, the tug moved over and dropped a walkway. Supplies and crews were exchanged.
The transfer completed, the ship glided in past Dow Chemical. Things came to a halt by Electric Boat; the tug gingerly nudged the submarine 180 degrees.
And with that, the sub headed south back out of the harbor.
Here's a little video.
We are delighted to report the NL HarborCam has reached 5.7M viewers since July 2019 -- these days averaging 100,000 views every two weeks.
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Our deepest condolences to Susan Tierney and the family at Capt. Scott's on the loss of Tom Eshenfelder, a fisherman and great friend of NLMS, who was so proud of his forebear Capt. Thomas A Scott. We will miss him.
--Susan Tamulevich
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We're online & on Facebook! | |
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Photo: Happy birthday to Jim Flood (3/17) and Christina Corcoran (3/15).
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View Online Exhibitions of New London Maritime History from the Custom House Maritime Museum's Frank L. McGuire Library.
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Facebook the Custom House SHOP for gifts with an extra feel good factor -- when you shop with us your purchases support our exhibitions, & educational programs. Out Sale runs through Saturday, March 30.
Photo: Jim and Christina hosted the Docent Academy at the museum on Wednesday.
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We're on Instagram! @nlmaritime.
Photo, above: Easy - effective - earth-friendly. Tru-earth laundry detergent is sold in strips -- no plastic! Support the NL Maritime Society while protecting the earth. Find out more at http://tru-earth.sjv.io/NewLondonMaritimeSociety Thanks!
Photo, below: Our favorite harbor.
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