New London Custom House front elevation and section
A distinguished architect, Robert Mills designed the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as well as Custom Houses for several port cities in New England, in addition to the New London Custom House.
Robert Mills (1781-1855)
New London Maritime Society Collection
Photo by Thomas Hahn
1833
Eva Brydson
New London Maritime Society
Watercolor, gouache, pencil, ink on paper (original)
Bank Check of the National Whaling Bank of New London, CT
The National Whaling Bank was one of several business banks in New London as its economy boomed in the whaling era. The bank is the third oldest in the city and was founded by a group of whaling merchants.
Private Collection
National Whaling Bank of New London
1870
Eva Brydson
Private Collection
Paper check
“Coffee Fans Bid Farewell to Mugz”
42 Bank Street has long been a host to two popular coffee shops for New London locals and tourists. When Mugz closed in 2004, the Waterford Times ran an article that captured the role of the coffee shop in every day life in the city. Regardless of the name, 42 Bank Street has spent decades as a vibrant site of local culture.
The Waterford Times
Ashley Plaisted-St. Pierre
New London Landmarks
42 Bank Street folder from red cabinet
The Waterford Times
June 4, 2004
Eva Brydson
The Waterford Times
Newspaper clipping
Draggerman's Haul: The Personal Story of a Connecticut Fishing Captain
Ellery Thompson was a New London fisherman, sea captain, and writer.His best-known book Draggerman’s Haul (1950) recounts his experiences in the New London harbor and Long Island sound. Thompson was also a painter, and depicted New London’s lively waterfront.
Ellery Thompson
The Viking Press, New York
Connecticut College Shain Library
921 T3721a
The Viking Press, New York
1950
Eva Brydson
Linda Lear Center for Special Collections and Archives
Book
In and About New London
The streets and structures that make up modern day New London have deep roots in the history of this coastal city. The New London Custom House has been one of the most significant buildings in New London for centuries and captures the essence of New London through images of the city. This booklet of photographs was published to document the prominent places and views of the city.
H.D. Utley
Portland, Maine: L.H. Nelson Company, ca. 1900
Linda Lear Center for Special Collections and Archives, S 917.465 Inl
L.H. Nelson Co., Portland, ME
ca. 1900
Eva Brydson
Linda Lear Center for Special Collections and Archives
Booklet
Thames Crockery Company
Today’s Muddy Waters Cafe was once the Thames Crockery, a New London-family-owned business that supplied local restaurants with equipment. The Thames Crockery operated on Bank Street until 1999, when the owners decided to rent out their building to a local couple’s coffee shop, Mugz.
New London Landmarks
ca. 1960-1999
Eva Brydson
New London Landmarks
Photograph