A Whale of an “Excitement”: Today, New London, Connecticut, prides itself on its whaling legacy. But the town’s whaling “excitement” during the 1840s and ’50s wasn’t actually the first but the third episode in the town’s economic history. (For the story of New London’s founding and its early role in coastal shipping, […]
A Short History of New London (Part 3)
The Revolution & Aftermath When the 1770s dawned, New London’s merchants, wharves, and warehouses were booming with the West Indies trade. The British were happy, too, thanks to the heavy import duties on imports of rum, sugar, tea and other goods. Those stiff taxes were an important source of revenue, helping finance Britain’s expensive wars […]
A Short History of New London (Part 2)
The West Indies Trade Years: In 1650, a mere four years after New London’s initial founding, a Welsh ship-builder known as “good Master [John] Coit” arrived at the fledgling town. (Missed Part 1 about New London’s founding? Find it here!) A master carpenter, Coit had left his native Wales […]