Whale of a City

That would be New London, Connecticut, a seaport city and a port of entry on the Northeast coast of the U.S. It’s located at the mouth of the Thames River (rhymes with “James”) in southeastern Connecticut and in terms of land area is one of the smallest cities in the state of CT. 

For several decades beginning in the early 19th century, New London was the world’s 3rd busiest whaling port after New Bedford and Nantucket in Massachusetts. Whaling brought wealth to the city that provided the funds to construct much of the city’s present architecture.

New London subsequently became home to other shipping and manufacturing industries, but has gradually lost its commercial and industrial appeal and is now more well-known as home to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and several collages. New London Harbor is home port to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Cutter Chinook and tall ship Eagle.

New London has several outdoor murals, included in a six-block walking tour, as part of the “Wall to Wall: The New London Mural Walk.” Some of the murals include underwater spacemen, exotic shells, geometric shapes, community portraits, and musicians, shown below.

While it’s not yet near the Thanksgiving holiday, city lampposts were already decorated for the upcoming holiday season as of early November when we visited.