Every article about New London Harbor Lighthouse features Maritime Society spokespeople complaining about what lighthouse neighbors want, but nobody has asked neighbors what we want. 

We want honesty, accountability and fairness. We want New London Maritime Society (NLMS) to obey laws, honor commitments, respect boundaries, protect the Sound, and limit visitor traffic to what’s appropriate for the site. We want them to stop promoting hostility and misrepresenting new construction as “historic restoration.” (The “historic dock” they are raising money to restore is a new dock; sites of previous docks are both on private land.) 

Conflicts with neighbors arose because of NLMS tactics. The Waesches donated money and photography to NLMS until they started building a walkway alongside the Waesches' pool. We anticipated volunteering with NLMS until they decided they had an easement past our aunt’s living room where she lay bedridden. Use of this “easement” escalated after her death until we were no longer able to access our terrace. No documentation of an easement was found. We put up bushes and signs in our yard so they would not establish “adverse possession,” and they sued us! 

After such treatment, trust between NLMS and lighthouse neighbors is irrevocably eroded. We no longer trust them. If they had honored commitments, they might be giving tours now with neighbor support. 

John and Elizabeth Ring

New London

Editor's note: The Rings' home is adjacent to the Harbor Lighthouse property.