Station Forge River, New York
USLSS Station 19, Third District
Coast Guard Station #77
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Location:
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Abreast of and south 3-1/2 miles of Center Moriches
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Date of Conveyance:
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Station Built:
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1871
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Fate:
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Discontinued in 1948; turned over to GSA in 1955
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Forge River (#77):
A station was built "three and one-half miles south of Moriches" in 1871; it may have originally been called Fargo River.
The position of the station was later given as "abreast of and south three and one-half miles of Center Moriches.’ The station was still in commission on the eve of World War II and remained on the listing of active stations until January 1948. The property was turned over to GSA in 1955.
Keepers:
The first keeper was Sidney Penny, who was appointed at the age of 48 (with experience as a sailor) on December 9, 1872; he served until his resignation on December 1, 1877. He was followed by Sidney Smith (appointed November 26, 1877, he served until his resignation June 30, 1895). Then came Ira G. Ketcham (July 22, 1895 until his resignation due to physical reasons December 9, 1904), J. Ezra Hawkins (December 3, 1904 until his retirement with thirty years’ of service on July 31, 1919) and Edward J. McGarvey (acting until his appointment May 18, 1920 until his reassignment to the Smiths Point station March 21, 1924). No officer in charge is listed again until Chief Boatswains Mate T. C. Fenner is listed in 1928, R. C. Miller in 1932, and E. M. Payne in 1934. Chief Payne was still there in 1937.
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 Unpublished manuscript, compiled circa 1977, CG Historian’s Office collection.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.