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New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades beginning in the early 19th century, along with Nantucket and New Bedford, Massachusetts. The wealth that whaling brought into the city furnished the capital to fund much of the city's present architecture. The city subsequently became home to other shipping and manufacturing industries, but it has gradually lost most of its industrial heart. New London is home to the United States Coast Guard Academy, Connecticut College,
Mitchell College Mitchell College is a private college in New London, Connecticut. In Fall 2020 it had an enrollment of 572 students and a faculty of 68. Admission rate was 70%. The college offers associate and bachelor's degrees in fourteen subjects. Academ ...
, and The Williams School. The
Coast Guard Station New London Coast Guard Station New London is a United States Coast Guard station located in New London, Connecticut. It is a unit of Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound and is located next to Fort Trumbull.
and New London Harbor is home port to the Coast Guard Cutter ''Coho'' and the Coast Guard's tall ship ''Eagle''. The city had a population of 27,367 at the 2020 census. The
Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the Episcopal see, See of ...
–New London metropolitan area includes 21 towns and 274,055 people.


History


Colonial era

The area was called Nameaug by the Pequot Indians.
John Winthrop, Jr. John Winthrop the Younger (February 12, 1606 – April 6, 1676) was an early governor of the Connecticut Colony, and he played a large role in the merger of several separate settlements into the unified colony. Early life Winthrop was born ...
founded the first English settlement here in 1646, making it about the 13th town settled in Connecticut. Inhabitants informally referred to it as Nameaug or as Pequot after the tribe. In the 1650s, the colonists wanted to give the town the official name of London after
London, England London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major se ...
, but the
Connecticut General Assembly The Connecticut General Assembly (CGA) is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is a bicameral body composed of the 151-member House of Representatives and the 36-member Senate. It meets in the state capital, Hartford. ...
wanted to name it Faire Harbour. The citizens protested, declaring that they would prefer it to be called Nameaug if it could not be officially named London. The legislature relented, and the town was officially named New London on March 10, 1658.


American Revolution

The harbor was considered to be the best deep water harbor on Long Island Sound, and consequently New London became a base of American naval operations during the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
and privateers where it has been said no port took more prizes than New London with between 400–800 being credited to New London privateers including the 1781 taking of supply ship Hannah, the largest prize taken during the war. Famous New Londoners during the American Revolution include Nathan Hale, William Coit, Richard Douglass, Thomas and Nathaniel Shaw, Gen. Samuel Parsons, printer Timothy Green, and Bishop
Samuel Seabury Samuel Seabury (November 30, 1729February 25, 1796) was the first American Episcopal bishop, the second Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and the first Bishop of Connecticut. He was a leading Loyalist ...
. New London was raided and much of it burned to the ground on September 6, 1781 in the Battle of Groton Heights by
Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the Episcopal see, See of ...
native Benedict Arnold in an attempt to destroy the Revolutionary
privateer A privateer is a private person or ship that engages in maritime warfare under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign or deleg ...
fleet and supplies of goods and naval stores within the city. It is often noted that this raid on New London and Groton was intended to divert General
George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...
and the French Army under Rochambeau from their march on Yorktown, Virginia. The main defensive fort for New London was Fort Griswold, located across the Thames River in Groton. It was well known to Arnold, who sold its secrets to the British fleet so that they could avoid its
artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during si ...
fire. The British overran New London's
Fort Trumbull Fort Trumbull is a fort near the mouth of the Thames River on Long Island Sound in New London, Connecticut and named for Governor Jonathan Trumbull. The original fort was built in 1777, but the present fortification was built between 1839 and 18 ...
, while other soldiers moved in to attack Ft. Griswold across the river, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
William Ledyard William Ledyard (December 6, 1738 – September 6, 1781) was a lieutenant colonel in the Connecticut militia who was killed during the American Revolutionary War. He commanded Fort Griswold in Groton and resisted the British forces during the ...
. The British suffered great casualties at Ft. Griswold before the Americans were finally forced to surrender—whereupon the British stormed into and slaughtered most of the militia who defended it, including Colonel Ledyard. All told, more than 52 British soldiers and 83 defenders were killed, and more than 142 British and 39 defenders were wounded, many mortally. New London suffered over 6 defenders killed and 24 wounded, while Arnold and the British and Hessian raiding party suffered an equal amount. Connecticut's independent legislature made New London one of the first two cities brought from ''de facto'' to formalized incorporations in its January session of 1784, along with
New Haven New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...
.


19th century

During the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...
, torpedoes were employed in attempts to destroy British vessels and protect American harbors. In fact, a submarine-deployed torpedo was used in an unsuccessful attempt to destroy HMS ''Ramillies'' while in New London's harbor. This prompted British Capt. Hardy to warn the Americans to cease efforts with the use of any "torpedo boat" in this "cruel and unheard-of warfare", or he would "order every house near the shore to be destroyed". For several decades beginning in the early 19th century, New London was one of the three busiest whaling ports in the world, along with Nantucket and New Bedford, Massachusetts. The wealth that whaling brought into the city furnished the capital to fund much of the city's present architecture. The
New Haven and New London Railroad The Shore Line Railway was a part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad system, running east from New Haven, Connecticut, to New London along the north shore of Long Island Sound. It is currently used for commuter service on ConnDOT's ...
connected New London by rail to New Haven and points beyond by the 1850s. The
Springfield and New London Railroad The Connecticut Central Railroad was a railroad in Connecticut and Massachusetts, which connected East Hartford, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1871, it was built between 1874 and 1876, and operated independently until be ...
connected New London to Springfield, Massachusetts, by the 1870s.


Military presence

Several military installations have been part of New London's history, including the United States Coast Guard Academy and
Coast Guard Station New London Coast Guard Station New London is a United States Coast Guard station located in New London, Connecticut. It is a unit of Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound and is located next to Fort Trumbull.
. Most of these military installations have been located at
Fort Trumbull Fort Trumbull is a fort near the mouth of the Thames River on Long Island Sound in New London, Connecticut and named for Governor Jonathan Trumbull. The original fort was built in 1777, but the present fortification was built between 1839 and 18 ...
. The first Fort Trumbull was an earthwork built 1775–1777 that took part in the Revolutionary War. The second Fort Trumbull was built 1839–1852 and still stands. By 1910, the fort's defensive function had been superseded by the new forts of the Endicott Program, primarily located on Fishers Island. The fort was turned over to the Revenue Cutter Service and became the Revenue Cutter Academy. The Revenue Cutter Service was merged into the
United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, m ...
in 1915, and the Academy relocated to its current site in 1932. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, the Merchant Marine Officers Training School was located at Fort Trumbull. From 1950 to 1990, Fort Trumbull was the location for the
Naval Underwater Sound Laboratory The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) is the United States Navy's full-spectrum research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support center for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, and offensive and defensive weapons ...
, which developed
sonar Sonar (sound navigation and ranging or sonic navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigate, measure distances (ranging), communicate with or detect objects on o ...
and related systems for US Navy submarines. In 1990, the Sound Laboratory was merged with the
Naval Underwater Systems Center The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) is the United States Navy's full-spectrum research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support center for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, and offensive and defensive weapons ...
in
Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and northeast of New Yor ...
, and the New London facility was closed in 1996. The Naval Submarine Base New London is physically located in Groton, but submarines were stationed in New London during World War II and from 1951 to 1991. The submarine tender ''Fulton'' and
Submarine Squadron 10 Submarine Squadron 10 (SUBRON 10) was a unit of the United States Navy during World War II in the Pacific and in the Atlantic Fleet after the war from 1951–1991. The number and type of submarines assigned to SUBRON 10 varied throughout its histo ...
were based at State Pier in New London during this time. Squadron Ten was usually composed of eight to ten submarines and was the first all-nuclear submarine squadron. USS ''Fulton'' was decommissioned, after 50 years of service, in 1991 and Submarine Squadron 10 was disbanded at the same time. In the 1990s, State Pier was rebuilt as a container terminal. During the Red Summer of 1919, there were a series of racial riots between white and black Navy men stationed in New London and Groton.


Fort Trumbull

The neighborhood of Fort Trumbull once consisted of nearly two-dozen homes, but they were seized by the City of New London using
eminent domain Eminent domain (United States, Philippines), land acquisition (India, Malaysia, Singapore), compulsory purchase/acquisition (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom), resumption (Hong Kong, Uganda), resumption/compulsory acquisition (Austr ...
. This measure was supported in a 5–4 ruling in the 2005 Supreme Court case ''
Kelo v. City of New London ''Kelo v. City of New London'', 545 U.S. 469 (2005), was a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of the United States in which the Court held, 5–4, that the use of eminent domain to transfer land from one private owner to another private owner ...
'', and the homes were ultimately demolished by the city as part of an economic development plan. The site was slated to be redeveloped under this plan, but the chosen developer was not able to get financing and the project failed. The empty landscape of the Fort Trumbull area has been widely characterized as an example of government overreach and inefficiency.


Geography

In terms of land area, New London is one of the smallest cities in Connecticut. Of the whole , nearly half is water; is land. The town and city of New London are coextensive. Sections of the original
town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an o ...
were ceded to form newer towns between 1705 and 1801. The
towns A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an or ...
of Groton, Ledyard, Montville, and Waterford, and portions of Salem and
East Lyme East Lyme is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 18,693 at the 2020 census. The villages of Niantic and Flanders are located in the town. Geography East Lyme is located in southern New London County, w ...
, now occupy what had earlier been the outlying area of New London. New London is bounded on the west and north by the town of Waterford on the east by the Thames River and Groton and on the south by Long Island Sound.


Principal communities

* Downtown New London *Ocean Beach Other minor communities and geographic features include Bates Woods Park, Fort Trumbull, Glenwood Park, Green's Harbor Beach, Mitchell's Woods, Pequot Colony, Riverside Park, Old Town Mill.


Towns created from New London

New London originally had a larger land area when it was established. Towns set off since include: * Stonington in 1649 ** This large area ran from the
Mystic River The Mystic River is a riverU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 in Massachusetts, in the United States. In Massachusett, means "large estuary," alluding to ...
to the
Pawcatuck River The Pawcatuck River is a river in the US states of Rhode Island and Connecticut flowing approximately .U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 There are eight d ...
, including
Pawcatuck Pawcatuck is a village and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Stonington which is located in New London County, Connecticut. The population was 5,624 at the 2010 census. It is located across the Pawcatuck River from Downtown Westerly ...
, Wequetequock, and the easterly half of Mystic. It stretched inland from Long Island Sound to
Lantern Hill Lantern Hill, elevation 491 feet (149 m), is a hill located in North Stonington, New London County, Connecticut. Name Lantern Hill The hill's white quartz cliffs are said to shine in sunlight when viewed from the Atlantic Ocean (Caulkins 1 ...
. **
North Stonington North Stonington is a town in New London County, Connecticut which was split off from Stonington in 1724. The population was 5,149 at the 2020 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of w ...
was created from the northern half of Stonington in 1807. * Groton in 1705 ** Ledyard (originally North Groton) created from a part of Groton in 1836. * Montville in 1786. ** Salem created from parts of Montville, Colchester, and Lyme in 1819 * Waterford in 1801. **
East Lyme East Lyme is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 18,693 at the 2020 census. The villages of Niantic and Flanders are located in the town. Geography East Lyme is located in southern New London County, w ...
created from parts of Waterford and Lyme in 1839. * Fishers Island officially left Connecticut and became part of New York in 1879.


Climate

Using the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
New London has a temperate climate (called Humid Subtropical in some climate classifications). This zone is defined as having a monthly mean temperature above 26.4 °F (−3 C) but below 64.4 °F (18 C) in the coldest month. The city experiences long, hot and humid summers, and cool to cold winters with snowfall on occasion. The city averages 2,300 hours of sunshine annually (higher than the USA average). New London lies in the broad transition zone between continental climates to the north in New England and southern Canada, and the Humid subtropical climates to the south of the middle and south Atlantic states. From May to late September, the southerly flow from the
Bermuda High The Azores High also known as North Atlantic (Subtropical) High/Anticyclone or the Bermuda-Azores High, is a large subtropical semi-permanent centre of high atmospheric pressure typically found south of the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean, at the H ...
creates hot and humid tropical weather conditions. Daytime heating produces occasional thunderstorms with heavy but brief downpours. Daytime highs in summer are normally near 80 °F, with occasional heat waves bringing high temperatures into the 90's °F. Spring and Fall are mild in New London, with daytime highs in the 55° to 70 °F range and lows in the 40° to 50 °F range. The seaside location of the city creates a long growing season compared to areas inland. The first frost in the New London area is normally not until late October or early November, almost three weeks later than parts of northern Connecticut. Winters are cool with a mix of rainfall and snowfall, or mixed precipitation. New London normally sees fewer than 25 days annually with snow cover. In mid-winter, there can be large differences in low temperatures between areas along the coastline and areas well inland, sometimes as much as 15 °F. Tropical cyclones (hurricanes/tropical storms) have struck Connecticut and the New London metropolitan area, although infrequently. Hurricane landfalls have occurred along the Connecticut coast in 1903, 1938, 1944, 1954 ( Carol), 1960 (
Donna Donna may refer to the short form of the honorific ''nobildonna'', the female form of Don (honorific) in Italian. People *Donna (given name); includes name origin and list of people and characters with the name * Roberto Di Donna (born 1968), Ita ...
), 1985 ( Gloria).
Tropical Storm Irene The name Irene was used for thirteen cyclones worldwide: 12 tropical and one extratropical. Of the tropical cyclones named Irene, seven were in the Atlantic, two were in the South Pacific, and the Western Pacific, South-West Indian Ocean and Austral ...
(2011) also caused moderate damage along the Connecticut coast, as did Hurricane Sandy (which made landfall in New Jersey) in 2012. The Connecticut shoreline (including New London) lies within the broad transition zone where so-called "subtropical indicator" plants and other broadleaf evergreens can successfully be cultivated. New London averages about 90 days annually with freeze, about the same as Baltimore, Maryland. As such, many varieties of Southern Magnolia, Needle Palms, Loblolly and Longleaf Pines, Crape Myrtles, Aucuba japonica,
Camellia ''Camellia'' (pronounced or ) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalayas east to Japan and Indonesia. There are more than 220 described species, with some controve ...
, trunking Yucca, hardy bananas, Monkey Puzzle, copious types of evergreen Hollies, many East Asian (non-holly)
broadleaf evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...
trees and shrubs, and certain varieties of figs may be grown in private and public gardens. The growing season is quite long in New London. Like much of coastal Connecticut and Long Island, NY, it averages close to 200 frost free days. New London lies at the cusp of
USDA hardiness zones A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...
6 and 7 (6b and 7a), with the southern quarter or so of land area in the city being in zone 7 according to the latest released hardiness zone map, making it similar in expected extreme minimum annual temperature to places like Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Trenton, New Jersey, the Shenandoah Valley of
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
, much of north-central
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 36th-largest by ...
and the Ozarks of northern
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...
. By the mid-to-late 21st century, the area is expected to fall within USDA zone 8 according to some models. Due to climate change, certain low-lying areas such as Ocean Beach in the southern part of the city are susceptible to
rising sea levels Rising may refer to: * Rising, a stage in baking - see Proofing (baking technique) *Elevation * Short for Uprising, a rebellion Film and TV * "Rising" (''Stargate Atlantis''), the series premiere of the science fiction television program ''Starg ...
and increasingly powerful fall/winter noreasters and summer/fall hurricanes.


Demographics


Recent estimates on demographics and economic status

According to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey, non-Hispanic whites made up 54.6% of New London's population. Non-Hispanic blacks made up 14.0% of the population.
Asians Asian people (or Asians, sometimes referred to as Asiatic people)United States National Library of Medicine. Medical Subject Headings. 2004. November 17, 200Nlm.nih.gov: ''Asian Continental Ancestry Group'' is also used for categorical purpos ...
of non-Hispanic origin made up 4.6% of the city's population. Multiracial individuals of non-Hispanic origin made up 4.3% of the population; people of mixed black and white ancestry made up 1.7% of the population. In addition, people of mixed black and Native American ancestry made up 1.0% of the population. People of mixed white and Native American ancestry made up 0.7% of the population; those of mixed white and Asian ancestry made up 0.4% of the populace. Hispanics and Latinos made up 21.9% of the population, of which 13.8% were Puerto Rican. The top five largest European ancestry groups were Italian (10.5%), Irish (9.7%),
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
(7.4%),
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...
(6.8%) and Polish (5.0%) According to the survey, 74.4% of people over the age of 5 spoke only English at home. Approximately 16.0% of the population spoke Spanish at home. In 2012, the population reached 27,700. The median household income was $44,100, with 20% of the population below the poverty line.


2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 25,671 people, 10,181 households, and 5,385 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 11,560 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 63.5%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 19.7%
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race, 18.6%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.9% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 9.1% from other races, and 5.7% from two or more races. There were 10,181 households, out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.4% were married couples living together, 17.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.1% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 3.00. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 17.6% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,809, and the median income for a family was $38,942. Males had a median income of $31,405 versus $25,426 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,437. About 13.4% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.5% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.


Arts and culture


Eugene O'Neill

Nobel laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright
Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earli ...
(1888–1953) lived in New London and wrote several plays in the city. An O'Neill archive is located at Connecticut College, and the family home,
Monte Cristo Cottage Monte Cristo Cottage (also known as Eugene O'Neill Summer House) was the summer home of American actor James O'Neill and his family, notably his son Eugene O'Neill. It is a National Historic Landmark located at 325 Pequot Avenue in New London, ...
, is a museum and national historic landmark operated by the
Eugene O'Neill Theater Center The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit theater company founded in 1964 by George C. White. It is commonly referred to as The O'Neill. The center has received two Tony Awards, the 1979 Special A ...
.


Music

Notable artists and ensembles include: * Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1946 and led by Toshiyuki Shimada, who is also conductor of the
Yale Symphony Orchestra The Yale Symphony Orchestra is a symphony orchestra at Yale University which performs in Yale's Woolsey Hall and tours internationally and domestically. The present Music Director is William Boughton. History The Yale Symphony Orchestra was foun ...
in New Haven. *
The Idlers The Idlers of the United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) are an all-male collegiate a cappella ensemble specializing in the performance of sea shanties and patriotic music. Overview A relatively exclusive group with a history and traditions si ...
of the United States Coast Guard Academy, an all-male vocal group specializing in sea shanties and patriotic music. * United States Coast Guard Band, founded in 1925 with the assistance of John Philip Sousa. Stationed at the United States Coast Guard Academy and attracting talented musicians from all parts of the country, the band is the official musical representative of the nation's oldest continuous seagoing service. * The Can Kickers, a folk punk band.


Sites of interest

*
Lyman Allyn Art Museum The Lyman Allyn Art Museum is located in New London, Connecticut and was founded in 1926 by Lyman Allyn's daughter Harriet Upson Allyn.
* Ocean Beach Park * New London County Historical Society, Shaw-Perkins Mansion (1758) * New London Maritime Society, U.S. Custom House (1833), landing site of ''Amistad'' (1839) * Fishers Island (7 miles off the coast of New London, but part of New York) *
Connecticut College Arboretum The Connecticut College Arboretum is a 300 ha (750 acres) arboretum and botanical gardens, founded in 1931, and located on the campus of Connecticut College and in the towns of New London and Waterford, Connecticut, United States. Collections ...
* Fort Griswold (Groton) *
Fort Trumbull Fort Trumbull is a fort near the mouth of the Thames River on Long Island Sound in New London, Connecticut and named for Governor Jonathan Trumbull. The original fort was built in 1777, but the present fortification was built between 1839 and 18 ...
* United States Coast Guard Academy *
Coast Guard Station New London Coast Guard Station New London is a United States Coast Guard station located in New London, Connecticut. It is a unit of Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound and is located next to Fort Trumbull.
* Flock Theatre *
Garde Arts Center The Garde Arts Center is a non-profit performing arts center and cinema located at 325 State Street at the corner of Huntington Street in New London, Connecticut. It owns and operates the Garde Theatre, a historic movie palace. History The theat ...
* Hygienic Arts Gallery *
Joshua Hempsted House The Joshua Hempsted House is a historic house museum at 11 Hempstead Street in New London, Connecticut. Built about 1678 and altered several times during the 18th century, it is one of the state's oldest surviving buildings, and provides a vir ...
(1678) * Monte Cristo Cottage &
Eugene O'Neill Theater Center The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit theater company founded in 1964 by George C. White. It is commonly referred to as The O'Neill. The center has received two Tony Awards, the 1979 Special A ...
(Waterford) * USS ''Nautilus'' (Groton) * Ye Antientist Burial Ground * Winthrop Mill (1650) * Former Second Congregational Church (1870) * The Pequot Chapel (1872)


Government

In 2010, New London changed their form of government from council-manager to strong mayor-council after a charter revision. Distinct town and city government structures formerly existed and technically continue; however, they now govern exactly the same territory and have elections on the same ballot on
Election Day Election day or polling day is the day on which general elections are held. In many countries, general elections are always held on a Saturday or Sunday, to enable as many voters as possible to participate; while in other countries elections ...
in November.


Infrastructure


Transportation

Downtown New London is served by regional Southeast Area Transit buses, the
Estuary Transit District Estuary Transit District, doing business as 9 Town Transit, is the public transit provider for the Connecticut River Estuary region. ETD provides public transit bus service through its 9 Town Transit service to the towns of Chester, Clinton, De ...
public transit service between the New London transportation center and Old Saybrook, and interstate Greyhound Lines buses. Interstate 95 passes through New London. New London has frequent passenger rail service. New London Union Station is served by Amtrak's
Northeast Regional The ''Northeast Regional'' is an intercity rail service operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. In the past it has been known as the ''NortheastDirect'', ''Acela Regional'', or ''Regional''. It is Amtrak's busi ...
and
Acela Express The ''Acela'' ( ; originally the ''Acela Express'' until September 2019) is Amtrak's flagship service along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in the Northeastern United States between Washington, D.C. and Boston via 13 intermediate stops, inclu ...
regional rail services, plus Shore Line East (SLE) commuter rail service. The Providence & Worcester Railroad and the New England Central Railroad handle freight. The city is also served by
Cross Sound Ferry Cross Sound Ferry is a passenger and road vehicle ferry service operating between New London, Connecticut, New London, Connecticut and Orient, New York, Orient on the North Fork (Long Island), North Fork of Long Island, New York (state), New Yor ...
to
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...
, the Fishers Island Ferry District, and the Block Island Express ferry. New London is also visited by cruise ships. The Groton-New London Airport, a
general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
facility, is located in Groton. Scheduled commercial flights are available at T. F. Green and the much smaller Tweed New Haven Regional Airport. The larger
Bradley International Airport Bradley International Airport is a public international airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, United States. Owned and operated by the Connecticut Airport Authority, it is the second-largest airport in New England. The airport is about half ...
is 75 minutes driving time.


Mayors of New London

Notable mayors include: * Richard Law (1784–1806) *
Elias Perkins Elias Perkins (April 5, 1767 – September 27, 1845) was a United States representative from Connecticut. He was born in Lisbon, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale College in 1786. Afterwards, he studied law and was admitted to the bar and co ...
(1829–1832) *
Noyes Billings Noyes Billings (March 31, 1800 – April 26, 1865) was an American politician who was the 39th Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1846 to 1847. Early life Noyes Billings was born in Stonington, Connecticut on March 31, 1800, to Coddington Bil ...
(1835–1837) * John Perkins Cushing Mather (1845–1850) * Hiram Willey (1862–1865) *
Augustus Brandegee Augustus Brandegee (July 12, 1828 – November 10, 1904) was an American lawyer and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut. Early life Brandegee was born in New London, Connecticut. He was the ...
(1871–1873) * Thomas M. Waller (1873–1879) *
Bryan F. Mahan Bryan Francis Mahan (May 1, 1856 – November 16, 1923) was an American legislator and Representative from Connecticut. Biography Born in New London, Connecticut, Mahan attended public schools and graduated from Robert Bartlett High School ...
(1903–1906) *
Bryan F. Mahan Bryan Francis Mahan (May 1, 1856 – November 16, 1923) was an American legislator and Representative from Connecticut. Biography Born in New London, Connecticut, Mahan attended public schools and graduated from Robert Bartlett High School ...
(1909–1915) * Ernest E. Rogers (1915–1918)


Notable people

* Eliphalet Adams (1677–1753), clergyman *
Theresa Andrews Theresa Andrews (born August 25, 1962) is an American former competitive swimmer and Olympic champion. Raised in Maryland, Andrews gained prominence as a national collegiate champion when competing for the University of Florida. In internatio ...
(born 1962), winner of two Olympic gold medals *
Peter C. Assersen Peter Christian Assersen (January 5, 1839 – December 6, 1906) was a civil engineer and Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. Background Assersen was born January 5, 1839, the youngest of twelve children, on the Midbrød farm in Egersund parish ...
(1839–1906), Rear Admiral in the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
* James Avery (1620–1700), politician and military commander * Valerie Azlynn (born 1980), actress * Gaten Matarazzo (born 2002), actor * Scott Barlow, professional Baseball Pitcher for the Kansas City Royals *
Nathan Belcher Nathan Belcher (June 23, 1813 – June 2, 1891) was a United States representative from Connecticut. He was born in Preston, Connecticut. He completed academic studies and was graduated from Amherst College in 1832. Later, he studied law at the ...
(1813–1891), congressman *
Augustus Brandegee Augustus Brandegee (July 12, 1828 – November 10, 1904) was an American lawyer and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut. Early life Brandegee was born in New London, Connecticut. He was the ...
(1828–1904), judge, congressman, abolitionist *
Frank B. Brandegee Frank Bosworth Brandegee (July 8, 1864October 14, 1924) was a United States representative and senator from Connecticut. Early life Frank Brandegee was born in New London, Connecticut, on July 8, 1864. He was the son of Augustus Brandegee, ...
(1864–1924), congressman and senator *
Amy Brenneman Amy Frederica Brenneman (born June 22, 1964) is an American actress and producer. She worked extensively in television, coming to prominence as Detective Janice Licalsi in the ABC police drama series ''NYPD Blue'' (1993–1994). Brenneman ne ...
(born 1964), actress * Henry Burbeck (1754–1848), brigadier general *
Daniel Burrows Daniel Burrows (October 26, 1766 – January 23, 1858) was a United States representative from Connecticut. He was the uncle of Lorenzo Burrows who was a United States Representative from New York. He was born at Fort Hill, Connecticut where h ...
(1756–1858), congressman * John Button (soldier) (1772–1861), American-born Upper Canada settler (founder of Buttonville, Ontario), sedentary Canadian militia officer and founder of the 1st York Light Dragoons *
William Colfax William Colfax (July 3, 1756 – September 9, 1838) was a Revolutionary War figure who served as Captain of George Washington's Life Guard beginning on March 18, 1778. William was the fifth child born to George Colfax (born: December 25, 1727) ...
, Canadian soldier and settler *
Frances Manwaring Caulkins Frances Manwaring Caulkins (April 26, 1795 – 1869) was a 19th-century American historian and genealogist, the author of histories of New London, Connecticut and Norwich, Connecticut. Through her father, she was descendant of Hugh Caulkins, who ...
(1795–1869), historian, genealogist, author *
Thomas Humphrey Cushing Thomas Humphrey Cushing (December 20, 1755 – October 19, 1822) was an officer in the Continental Army, and later the United States Army. A veteran of the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, he attained the rank of brigadier general. ...
(1755–1822), brigadier general in the War of 1812 and collector of customs * John M. K. Davis, U.S. Army brigadier general; lived in New London during his retirement * Harry Daghlian (1921–1945), physicist at Los Alamos National Lab, first person to die as a result of a criticality accident *
A. J. Dillon Algiers Jameal William Dillon Jr. (born May 2, 1998) is an American football running back for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College. Early life and high school career Dillo ...
(born 1998),
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball, and block. Th ...
* David Dorfman (born 1955), choreographer * Richard Douglass (1746–1828), cooper and soldier * Grace L. Drake, Ohio state legislator * Doug DuBose (born 1964), NFL player *
Kris Dunn Kristofer Michael Dunn (born March 18, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Capital City Go-Go of the NBA G League. He played four seasons of college basketball for the Providence Friars before being drafted with the fifth ...
(born 1994), point guard for the Chicago Bulls *
Larry Elgart Lawrence Joseph Elgart (March 20, 1922 – August 29, 2017) was an American jazz bandleader. With his brother Les, he recorded " Bandstand Boogie", the theme to the long-running dance show '' American Bandstand''. Biography Elgart was born i ...
(born 1922), musician * John Ellis (born 1948), baseball player *
Elsie Ferguson Elsie Louise Ferguson (August 19, 1883 – November 15, 1961) was an American stage and film actress. Early life Born in New York City, Elsie Ferguson was the only child of Hiram and Amelia Ferguson. Her father was a successful attorney. Raise ...
(1883–1961), stage and film actress *
Richard P. Freeman Richard Patrick Freeman (April 24, 1869 – July 8, 1944) was a U.S. Representative from Connecticut. Biography Born in New London, Connecticut, Freeman attended the public schools. He was graduated from Bulkeley High School at New Londo ...
(1869–1944), congressman * William Goddard (publisher) (1740–1817), Co-founded US Post Office with Benjamin Franklin *
L. Patrick Gray Louis Patrick Gray III (July 18, 1916 – July 6, 2005) was Acting Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from May 3, 1972 to April 27, 1973. During this time, the FBI was in charge of the initial investigation into the burglarie ...
(1916–2005), lawyer and Watergate figure * Nathan Hale (1755–1776), schoolmaster and patriot * Doc Hammer (born 1967), multimedium artist and co-creator of the
Venture Brothers ''The Venture Bros.'' is an American adult animated action comedy TV series created by Chris McCulloch (also known as "Jackson Publick") for Cartoon Network's late night programming block Adult Swim. Following a pilot episode on February 16, 20 ...
* Matt Harvey (born 1989), MLB pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds * Glenne Headly (1955–2017), actress * Barkley L. Hendricks (born 1945), painter *
Jedediah Huntington Jedediah (or Jedidiah) Huntington (4 August 1743 – 25 September 1818), was an American general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. After the war, he served in numerous civilian posts. Early life Huntington was born ...
(1743–1818), Revolutionary War General and New London Customs Collector * Linda Jaivin (born 1955), Australian author * Sarah Kemble Knight (1666–1727), diarist, teacher and businesswoman * Madeline Kripke (1943–2020), book collector *
John Law John Law may refer to: Arts and entertainment * John Law (artist) (born 1958), American artist * John Law (comics), comic-book character created by Will Eisner * John Law (film director), Hong Kong film director * John Law (musician) (born 1961) ...
(1796–1873), congressman *
Bryan F. Mahan Bryan Francis Mahan (May 1, 1856 – November 16, 1923) was an American legislator and Representative from Connecticut. Biography Born in New London, Connecticut, Mahan attended public schools and graduated from Robert Bartlett High School ...
(1856–1923), congressman * Richard Mansfield (1857–1907), actor * John McCain (1936–2018), senator and Republican presidential nominee (lived in New London as a child when his father,
John S. McCain, Jr. John Sidney "Jack" McCain Jr. (January 17, 1911 – March 22, 1981) was a United States Navy admiral who served in conflicts from the 1940s through the 1970s, including as the Commander, United States Pacific Command. The son of a naval officer, ...
, worked at the naval submarine base) *
Thomas Minor Thomas Minor (23 April 1608 – 23 October 1690) was a founder of New London and Stonington, Connecticut, United States, and an early colonial New England diarist. Early life and marriage Minor was born in Chew Magna, in Somerset, England, on A ...
(1608–1690), founder and early New England diarist * Casey Neistat (born 1981), filmmaker * James R Newby (born 1844), was a Civil War veteran who served in the first regiment of volunteer African Americans in the United States and a 19th-century African-American missionary to present-day Nigeria, Cameroon, and Liberia * Hannah Ocuish (1774–1786), believed to be the youngest person executed in the United States * James O'Neill (1847–1920), actor, father of Eugene O'Neill *
Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earli ...
(1888–1953), playwright * Walter Palmer (1585–1661), founder *
Elias Perkins Elias Perkins (April 5, 1767 – September 27, 1845) was a United States representative from Connecticut. He was born in Lisbon, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale College in 1786. Afterwards, he studied law and was admitted to the bar and co ...
(1767–1845), congressman * Mary Philips (1901–1975), actress *
Edward Clark Potter Edward Clark Potter (November 26, 1857 – June 21, 1923) was an American sculptor best known for his equestrian and animal statues. His most famous works are the marble lions, nicknamed ''Patience'' and ''Fortitude'', in front of the New Yor ...
(1857–1923), sculptor *
Ellen Culver Potter Ellen Culver Potter (August 5, 1871 – February 9, 1958) was an American physician and public health official. Early life Potter was born in New London, Connecticut, the daughter of Thomas Wells Potter and Ellen Harris Culver Potter. She stu ...
(1871–1958), physician, public health official * Renee Prahar (1879–1962), sculptor *
Art Quimby __NOTOC__ Arthur R. Quimby Jr. (July 1, 1933 – December 6, 2010) was an American college basketball player from the University of Connecticut. Early life A native of New London, Connecticut, Quimby attended the Bulkeley School, which was a smal ...
(1933–2010), basketball player *
Jordan Reed Jordan Reed (born July 3, 1990) is a former American football tight end who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the third round of the 201 ...
(born 1990), tight end for the Washington Redskins * Tim Riordan (born 1960), gridiron football player * Dawn Robinson (born 1965), singer * Dudley Saltonstall (1738–1796), naval officer * "Magic Dick" Salwitz (born 1945), musician *
Thomas R. Sargent III Thomas Reece Sargent III (December 20, 1914 – May 29, 2010) was a vice admiral and Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. Biography Sargent was born on December 20, 1914 in London, England. He became a naturalized citizen of th ...
(1914–2010), Vice Admiral in the
United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, m ...
* C. John Satti (1895–1968), Secretary of the State of Connecticut *
Samuel Seabury Samuel Seabury (November 30, 1729February 25, 1796) was the first American Episcopal bishop, the second Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and the first Bishop of Connecticut. He was a leading Loyalist ...
(1729–1796), bishop *
Benjamin Stark Benjamin Stark (June 26, 1820October 10, 1898) was an American merchant and politician in Oregon. A native of Louisiana, he purchased some of the original tracts of land for the city of Portland. He later served in the Oregon House of Representat ...
(1820–1898), senator * Sigmund Strochlitz (1916–2006), activist and Holocaust survivor *
Dana Suesse Nadine Dana Suesse (; December 3, 1911 – October 16, 1987) was an American musician, composer and lyricist. Biography Dana Suesse was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1909. When she grew too tall for ballet, she began piano lessons with Gertru ...
(1909–1987), composer, songwriter, musician *
Ron Suresha Ron Jackson Suresha is an American author and anthologist of books centering on gay and bisexual men's subcultures, particularly the Bear community. Biography Suresha was born in Detroit, Michigan, and attended grade school in the northwest subu ...
, author and editor * Flora M. Vare, (1874–1962), Pennsylvania State Senator from 1925 to 1928 * Cassie Ventura (born 1986), singer *
John T. Wait John Turner Wait (August 27, 1811 – April 21, 1899) was a U.S. Representative from Connecticut. Biography Born in New London, Connecticut, Wait moved with his mother to Norwich, Connecticut. He attended the common schools and Trinity ...
(1811–1899), former U.S. Representative for
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...
* Thomas M. Waller (1839–1924), Mayor of New London and 51st Governor of Connecticut * Mary Way (1769–1833), portrait miniaturist *
John Winthrop the Younger John Winthrop the Younger (February 12, 1606 – April 6, 1676) was an early governor of the Connecticut Colony, and he played a large role in the merger of several separate settlements into the unified colony. Early life Winthrop was born ...
(1606–1676), statesman and founder * Tyson Wheeler (born 1975), former Denver Nuggets basketball player *
Abisha Woodward Abisha Woodward (1752–1809), also known as Abashai Woodward, was an architect and contractor from New London, Connecticut that is best known for building lighthouses in the United States. He oversaw the construction of many of Connecticut's ea ...
(1752–1809), early American lighthouse builder


See also

* National Register of Historic Places in New London County, Connecticut


References

Notes Bibliography * * - Total pages: 930 * - Total pages: 234


External links

* * {{authority control Cities in Connecticut Cities in New London County, Connecticut Populated places established in 1646 1646 establishments in Connecticut Populated coastal places in Connecticut Populated places on the Thames River (Connecticut)