Fort Trumbull has existed since Revolutionary War days protecting the harbor of New London, CT.  It sits on a key position in the approach to New London Harbor and the Thames River.  From its position it was possible to fire upon any ship entering the Thames River.  Construction for the fort was begun before the Revolution in 1775.  In response to the outbreak of the revolution, the Connecticut General Assembly ordered that the fort be completed.  The fort was named after the governor, Jonathan Trumbull.  The only combat in Fort Trumbull's history happened on September 6th, 1781. This was a diversionary raid to distract American and French forces from Yorktown where the British army surrendered the next month.

Fort Trumbull State Park, New London, CT

Since that time, Fort Trumbull has continued to play a role in the country’s coastal defense system.  It has served as the home of the US Revenue Cutter Service, which merged with the US Lifesaving Service to become the US Coast Guard.  This merger made Fort Trumbull home to the first US Coast Guard Academy.  By WWII, the fort was home to the Coast Guard, the Maritime Service Officer Candidate School and the Columbia University Division of War Research Underwater Sound Laboratory.  In 1970 the Naval Underwater Systems Center called the fort home.  In 1991, the NUSC was renamed the Naval Undersea Warfare Center.

As Fort Trumbull developed so did its surrounding areas.  This was once a lively immigrant neighborhood of New London, CT.  Of the 115 residential homes, all that remains are 15 houses.  While Fort Trumbull may have only been in combat once as a fort, another type of battle is now taking place.  The owners of the fifteen remaining homes are protesting the city’s attempt to use eminent domain law to take their homes and turn the area into a riverfront hotel, convention center, offices and upscale condominiums.

Much of the development is to take place on land once occupied by a US Navy research center.  But it also calls for the destruction of the Fort Trumbull residential neighborhood.  The New London Development Corporation was authorized to use eminent domain

powers to seize any properties where homeowners refused to leave voluntarily.  Under the current plan, once the land is acquired, the city of New London plans to provide a private development company with a one dollar 99 year lease.

The Fifth Amendment states that governments may take private property for “public use.”  The citizens of Fort Trumbull are questioning how seizing their land for private development constitutes “public use.”  The city of New London claims that the taxes which will be generated by the development of Fort Trumbull will benefit the public.

Of the residents who refuse to leave, seven families have gone before the Supreme Court, arguing that the city has no right to take their private property for economic development.

Editor’s note:  On June 23, the Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 that “local governments may seize people’s homes and businesses against their will for private development.”

TCA is pleased to announce that membership registrations, renewals, and dues payments can now be made online.

Turnbull Clan members residing in Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland, and the United States can now join or renew their memberships and pay dues online through the TCA website.

A great advantage to using the online registration and payment method is that payment can be made in the currency of the home country with the use of a local credit card.  This eliminates expensive bank transfer fees, making enrollment and renewal not only easier but much less costly.

The dues payment site is secure and credit card information is not stored or saved.  

To use this online feature go to the TCA website at www.turnbullclan.com and click the yellow Join TCA box at the top of the page and follow the instructions from there.  If you know someone who would like to become a member of TCA, please share this information with him or her.