Station New Shoreham, Rhode Island

Station New Shoreham, Rhode Island

USLSS Station #4, Third District
Coast Guard Station #61

Remarks:

This station was built "on Block Island, east side, near breakwater" in 1874. It was originally called the "Block Island, (Northeast Side) station." By reasons of changing conditions, the original site became inadequate and a new site was acquired in 1884; the station buildings were moved in 1885 and the station was rebuilt in 1887-1888. In 1921, a contract was awarded for repairs and remodeling of the station building. 

The station was decommissioned on 15 July 1937 and its "duties and responsibilities taken by the (then) new 'Roosevelt type' station built inside the entrance to Great Salt Pond on Block Island." (Information courtesy of Tim Dring and the 16 July 2005 online edition of the Block Island Times.)  Mr. Dring notes that the station was the last original USLSS station to be in operation on Block Island.

The station was abandoned in 1947.

Keepers:

The first keeper was Nicholas Ball, who was appointed on September 2, 1871 and served until appointed as Assistant Third District Superintendent on August 4, 1875. Then came William P. Card, who was appointed on September 2, 1875 and resigned August 20, 1881. He was followed by Ralph E. Dodge (appointed September 2, 1881 until his dismissal December 21, 1885), Darius B. Dodge (December 21, 1885 until his resignation February 2, 1889), Amazon N. Littlefield (July 27, 1889 until he "died from disease contracted in line of duty" on March 18, 1914), Eli Sprague, Jr. (May 6, 1914 until reassigned to the Green Hill station on February 21, 1928), and George W. Streeter (from the Brenton Point station on February 21, 1928 and reassigned to the Watch Hill station on April 17, 1929). Next came Chief Petty Officer S. E. Littlefield in 1929 (reassigned from the Brenton Point station), who was commissioned on December 29, 1931 and reassigned to the Third District Office on April 15, 1933. Chief Petty Officer H. E. Johnson was commissioned on May 10, 1935 and next took command of the station; he subsequently was reassigned to command the Block Island station on July 15, 1935. 

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  Unpublished manuscript, compiled circa 1977, CG Historian’s Office collection.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.