October 13, 2024

Open Thurs.- Fri. 1-5 PM,

Sat. 10 AM-5 PM,

& Sun. 1-5 PM.

Jen Smith of Enfield made a donation at Richard Stremme's Community Case Opening:

a small metal paperweight in the form of a whale, ca. 1927, from New London's Mariners Savings Bank. 'Glad to have him back where he belongs', she said. Photo, top: the whale.

Photo, above: Jen Smith makes her donation - watch on vimeo.

Cheers to our sponsors

Anthony and Elizabeth Enders Fund - Charter Oak Credit Union - Chelsea Groton Foundation - Community Foundation of Eastern CT - Eleven+ - Frank Loomis Palmer Fund, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee - Kozmik Music Services - Ludwick Family Foundation - Maco Family Fund - Louise Novitch - Robinson+Cole - Veolia/NL Water Authority -

Yankee Remodeler. Thank you!

this Tuesday, October 15, 1:30 PM

Photo, above: storyteller Claudia Kenyon at Jibboom in 2021.

JIBBOOM Club #1

This Tuesday we're trying something different, when master storyteller Claudia

Kenyon invites six fellow Jibboomers to tell their own stories about the waterfront. It's a maritime, spoken word Open Mic.

Tales: Down By The River

Margret Palmer, “Full Circle” Some stories about growing up on the mouth of the Branford River.
Mike Johnson, “My Experience on the Mayflower” The Mayflower is a replica of the original ship that landed in Plymouth, MA. The 200th year anniversary never took place because of the Covid 19 epidemic.
Claudia Kenyon, “Fish Fries” Keeping my eyes wide open to the spiritual realm. A connection to my deceased father who was a fisherman and how his spirit still makes an appearance in nature.
Skip Guzy, “Mystic Seaport” The topic will be about the Charles W. Morgan, the wooden whaling ship docked at the Mystic Seaport.
Kate Wells, “Essex Fire, 1968”
Joseph Maco, “Francis Scott Key Bridge Update” There is more to the story that will help us understand what happened after the MV Dali was removed from the bridge in Maryland.

Jibboom is not a club, but a friendly gathering with a speaker, treats, and good fellowship.

The event is FREE and open to all - please come on October 15, 1:30 PM and bring a friend.

on view through December 22

Photo, right: Sailor’s knots from the Percy Waters Collection, circa 1930s.

CH Community Cases

Richard Stremme: The Scrimshaw/Tattoo Connection

In the old days every man of the sea was tattooed, even the captain. That’s the way they entertained themselves on board ship. The boys used to prick marks in their skin and fill them with ink. Some of them had regular tattooing sets.

~Anonymous old sailor quoted in the

NY Times, Sept 28, 1924

Educator and tattoo artist Richard Stremme uses objects in his collection to illustrate the connection between/and origins of American scrimshaw and hand poke tattoo.

What would you put in a museum?

We're interested in seeing what you collect!

We are keen to support local people to share their research on regional topics, archives, collections, and artifacts. The CH Community Cases will be open to the public whenever the Custom House is open. New displays will be installed every 2-3 months, as available.

We invite you to email your idea for a display to: nlmaritimedirector@gmail.com.

Saturdays, Sundays, & by appointment year-round

a popular destination for more than a century.

Visit Inside NL Harbor Pequot Light

The weather is perfect for visiting Long Island Sound's oldest and tallest lighthouse.

Climb 116 steps up into the lighthouse lantern. We offer tours every Saturday & Sunday at noon. The views are spectacular! Tours for up-to five people take approximately 40 minutes. To book a tour at other times, send us an email.

Photo: Ford Gerritt.

Thanks to our friends at Veolia-NL Water Authority and at the Chelsea Groton Foundation, New London residents may visit inside New London Harbor Lighthouse with a $5 ticket through December, 2024! Don't miss this opportunity. Sign up today!

Visit Inside Harbor Light!

Donations like yours help keep the lights on!

The 2024 Charter Oak Federal Credit Union matching gift program has begun.

If you are a Charter Oak member, your gift (to $500) will be doubled if you donate now! Download the pdf and please make NLMS your favored charity.

next Sunday, October 20, 2 PM

Winsome Bingham reads THE WALK

Bring your family to the museum for a Sunday afternoon family program. Author Winsome Bingham will read THE WALK, illustrated by E. B. Lewis, followed by a conversation with families about empowering the children in their lives, and how we can foster and encourage them to make choices.

THE WALK is not only about voting and democracy. It is about community, love, and conversation.

Admission by donation. Space is limited. Please pre-register online. There will be books available in the shop for the author to sign.

My name is Winsome Bingham and I am an author and literacy advocate for reading and authentic representation of children and communities in children’s literature. I am the author of one of The New York Times Best Books of the Year, SOUL FOOD SUNDAY, which is also the Connecticut Book Award winner and the Coretta Scott King Honored Illustrator award for C. G. Esperanza. I am a connoisseur of soul food and a master cook (at KidLit dinner parties, reunions, and get-togethers). I am a teacher by trade and a disabled military veteran by circumstance. I received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education, and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults.

Sunday, October 26, 6-9 PM

Open Mic at the Museum

Open Mic at the Museum meets on the last Sunday of the month at the beautiful Custom House Maritime Museum.

Co-hosted by Kenny 'Doc' Frazier and Christina Corcoran, our monthly open mic welcomes music, poetry, prose, stand-up or just say what is on your mind. Just show up at 5:45 and get on the list! Open to all ages and abilities for fun and camaraderie. It's a friendly crowd.

Sponsored by Kozmik Music Services. Admission by donation.

All programs are livestreamed on the Open Mic at the Museum facebook page and available there to watch. The Open Mic page also posts many of the individual performances from past sessions. Photo, above: from September Open Mic.

Tuesday, October 29, reception at 6:30, presentation at 7 PM

Lafayette in the Abolitionist Imagination

As we continue celebrating the bicentennial of Lafayette's 1824-1825 tour of the United States, the New London Maritime Society welcomes renowned historian Dr. Manisha Sinha to the Custom House. A reception to meet Dr. Sinha will begin at 6:30 PM, with the talk starting at 7:00. Space is limited, so please register in advance.

In light of the ongoing election season, Dr. Sinha will also offer insights on the fragility of democratic republics and draw parallels between American and French republicanism.

What can you do with an NLMS membership?

Become an NLMS member & receive a 10% discount in the Gift Shop

& member prices to special events, like the ones, above.

A New Roof for New London's 1833 Custom House Museum!

We need a new roof and appreciate your support. Our plan is to work to match your donations with grants, such as the CT Historic Preservation Fund.

Join the New Roof campaign!

Photo, above, from left: Jed Porter, National Park Service's Architect, History and Preservation Assistance Interior Region 1, (North Atlantic - Appalachian), and Catherine Turton, Community Planner, History and Preservation Assistance, Interior Region 1, visited our three lighthouses last Thursday starting at Harbor Light.

Photo, below: Andy Champagne and Capt. Jeff Dziedzic tying up at Race Rock Light.

This week at the Custom House

Two much-anticipated visitors arrived Thursday at the lighthouses.

It's almost 15 years since the National Park Service awarded us New London Harbor Light -- the first of three lighthouses we now own as a result of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000 (NHLPA).

Last week we had our first inspection.

Harbor Light was one of the first lighthouses given away through this program -- it was part of the NHLPA National Pilot Program in 2002.

NLMS president Ben Martin and director Melodie Foster prepared the application. The conveyance took part in October 2010.

I gave Thursday's tour.

Andy Champagne, chair of the Race Rock Committee, showed our guests around that lighthouse, and Capt. David Henry, chair of the Ledge Light Committee, brought them atop the new scaffolding at Ledge.

Photos, left column: at Race Rock

Photos, right column: at Ledge Light

We all should take pride in the work we've been doing to preserve and keep accessible these three lighthouses. We certainly deserved our delicious lunch at Capt. Scott's.

--Susan