Station Old Harbor, Massachusetts

Station Old Harbor, Massachusetts

Coast Guard Station #41

Remarks:

This station was built in 1897 and placed in commission in 1898 on a site "north one-half mile of Chatham Inlet."  It was originally referred to as the Chatham Old Harbor station.  Some of the history of this station is described under Chatham below. It received some improvements in 1910, probably to make it more capable to operate the motorized life-boat.

Old Harbor station is listed in 1940, but not in 1945.  The records show the property was abandoned in 1947. Old Harbor Station moved south of Race Point Station on Cape Cod and is maintained by the U.S. Park Service.

Keepers:

The first keeper was Hezekiah F. Doane, who was reassigned from the Chatham station on November 23, 1897 and served until March 22, 1915 when he was retired at age 64 with more than thirty years service. He was followed by Joseph C. Kelley, who was reassigned from the Monomoy Point station on April 7, 1915 and served until he was incapacitated and retired on January 25, 1923. Next, George B. Nickerson was appointed on July 21, 1925 and reassigned to the Nauset station on June 11, 1926. He was followed by Chief Petty Officer A. H. Wright, who was commissioned on October 13, 1930 and reassigned to the Chatham station on September 18, 1931. Chief Boatswains Mate A. C. Travers, reassigned from the Monomoy station, next assumed command, followed by Richard E. Ryder, also from Monomoy, on June 20, 1932. He died on June 9, 1933 and was followed by Chief J. Wescott. Arthur E. Larkin, from Watch Hill on April 6, 1934, is listed next and served until January 17, 1936 when he was reassigned to the Quonochontaug station. Then comes George B. Nickerson from the Nauset station on January 16, 1936 until going to the Chatham station on December 1, 1936. The last officer in charge shown before the outbreak of World War II was Chief Y. E. Yonger. 

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  Unpublished manuscript, compiled circa 1977, CG Historian’s Office collection.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