Lighthouse Inn
Known Name(s)
Lighthouse Inn
Address
Lower Blvd. New London, CT
Establishment Type(s)
Hotel
Physical Status
Extant
Detailed History
This Colonial Revival building was designed by William Ralph Emerson and built in 1902 as a summer home, Meadow Court, for steel magnate Charles S. Guthrie. The family was attracted to the area in part by the Pequot Colony resort community, which, despite its name, was peopled by wealthy old New England families. In 1925, twenty years after Guthrie's 1906 death, his wife began selling off their estate for development. The main house was converted into an inn in 1927 and eventually became popular with Hollywood stars in the 1940s.
Ties to the African American community were not readily found. This establishment may have fallen in the category of hotels looking to broaden their customer base as its traditional clientele faltered. The listing coincides with the 1964 opening of I-95 between Rhode Island and Waterford, Connecticut.
Listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places
