New London, Connecticut, USA
1854 - New London

New London, a city, port of entry, and semicapital of New London county, Connecticut, is situated on the right bank of the Thames river, 3 miles from the ocean, and 60 miles E. from New Haven ; lat. 41° 22' N., Ion. 72° 9' W. It is built on a declivity facing the S. and E. The site being considerably encumbered with granite rocks, it was not laid out with any great regard to regularity, though within a few years much has been done in the way of grading and other improvements to overcome the original inequalities of the surface. The elevation back of the city affords an extensive and varied prospect. Among the public buildings may be mentioned the custom house, a fine granite edifice, the court house, and the churches, of which the Baptists have 3 ; the Congregationalists, 2 ; the Methodists, 2 ; the Episcopalians, 1 ; the Catholics, 1, and the Uuiversalists, 1 ; in all, 10. The educational institutions are the New London Normal Institute of Music, the New London Female Academy, the Bartlett High School, and 16 public schools. Increased attention has of late been paid to the subject of education, and the schools generally are in a flourishing condition. Five newspapers are published, of which 2 are dailies. The harbor of New London is one of the best in the United States. It is 3 miles long, 5 fathoms deep, and seldom obstructed with ice. It is environed by hills, and de fended by Fort Trumbull and Fort Griswold, the former of which is garrisoned. The inhabitants have long been extensively engaged in the whale fishery, which employs 1505 men and a large amount of capital. The coast trade and the other fisheries are also very important. The shipping of the port, June 30th, 1852, amounted to an aggregate of 23,281 tons registered, and 18,229 tons enrolled and licensed. Of the former, 15,960 tons were employed in the whale fishery ; of the latter, 11,517 tons were employed in the coast trade, and 6276 tons in the cod and mackerel fisheries; 12 steamers are also owned, with an aggregate burthen of 4253 tons. The receipts from the whale fishery for the past year were $1,349,872. The value of the foreign imports was $28,904, and of the exports, $78,383. The vessels built the present year were 2 ships, 6 schooners, 4 sloops, and 1 steamer. Several extensive manufacturing establishments have recently commenced operations, among which may be mentioned the Alberton and Douglass machine company, with a capital of $60,000 ; the New London foundry and machine works, organized in 1852, with a capital of $45,000, and the Nameaug manufacturing company, organized in 1853, having a capital of $70,000. The New London, Willimantic, and Palmer railroad company was organized in 1848, with a capital of $1,500,000, all owned in New Lon don. There are 4 banks, with an aggregate capital of about $600,000, and a savings' institution with $706,144.07 on deposite. Gas has been introduced during the past year. The city has railroad communication with New Haven and the principal towns of the interior. New London was settled in 1644, by John Winthrop, son of Governor Winthrop, of Massachusetts. Population in 1830, 4335; in 1840, 5519; in 1850, 8991, in 1853 about 10.000.

A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

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