Station City Point, Massachusetts

Station City Point, Massachusetts

Coast Guard Station #25

Remarks:

This station was originally described as a "floating station in Dorchester Bay, Boston Harbor" and ‘was built in 1896.  The justification for this station is given in the 1895 Annual Report: "after a thorough examination of the neighborhood of City Point, Boston Harbor, and inquiry into the nature and localities of the numerous fatal accidents that have occurred in the waters of Dorchester Bay, it has been determined to construct a floating station to be anchored in a selected spot in the bay, as best calculated to afford the protection which Congress contemplated in providing at its last session for the establishment of a station in that vicinity."  From the Annual Report of 1896: "The floating station (is) ... to be placed in Dorchester Bay, near City Point, Boston Harbor, designed to render assistance in the numerous casualties occurring to yachts and sailboats in that vicinity, has been completed, anchored in position, and put into commission."  The station was rebuilt in 1913 "to replace a structure that is old and unsuited to present-day needs."  It may have been taken out of commission for rebuilding, for an item in the Coast Guard Magazine mentions that it was re-commissioned on May 1, 1928. 

The first keeper was Dennis Haley who was appointed August 7, 1896 and served until his resignation on November 18, 1896. In order, next came Eldred C. Glawson (November 18, 1896 until his resignation March 31, 1900), Franklin E. Hamilton (March 24, 1900 until his reassignment to the Monomoy station on November 5, 1911), Albertus S. Cahoon (october 28, 1911 until his reassignment to the Gay Head station on April 21, 1913), Robert F. Pierce (from the Monomoy station April 11, 1913 until reassignment to the Orleans station on February 22, 1918), and John DeGroot (acting until his appointment on May 5, 1919 until he was incapacitated, retired and died on December 5, 1925). The next officer in charge is shown as Chief Petty Officer F. E. Holbrook in 1927; he was commissioned on October 14, 1930, and reassigned to the Merrimac River station on July 18, 1935. John J. Glynn arrived from that station to relieve him at City Point. 

City Point station was discontinued as an active unit in 1930, but was back on the list of stations in 1931.  It disappeared from the list of stations after 1939.  This was probably one of the first stations to be established in response to an increasing recreational boating workload.

Surfman Christopher J. Sullivan of this station was awarded a silver life-saving medal for rescuing a woman, the passenger of the capsized launch Pippin, on August 11, 1912. She was retrieved from under the water in an unconscious condition and resuscitated.

Sources:

Station History File, CG Historian’s Office

Dennis L. Noble & Michael S. Raynes.  “Register of the Stations and Keepers of the U.S. Life-Saving Service.”  Unpublished manuscript, compiled circa 1977, CG Historian’s Office collection.

Ralph Shanks, Wick York & Lisa Woo Shanks.  The U.S. Life-Saving Service: Heroes, Rescues and Architecture of the Early Coast Guard.  Petaluma, CA: Costaño Books, 1996.

U.S. Treasury Department: Coast Guard.  Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers and Cadets and Ships and Stations of the United States Coast Guard, July 1, 1941.  Washington, DC: USGPO, 1941.