Station Point Adams, Oregon

Station Point Adams, Oregon

Life Saving Station #311
Coast Guard Station #326

Point Adams:

Coast Guard Lifeboat Station Point Adams is located at Hammond, Clatsop County, Oregon.  The station was established in 1888, built in 1889 and was placed in active service in December of 1889.  The original station, a Fort Point-type design, was designed by Albert B. Bibb.  This design was unique in that it separated the boathouse from the crews' living quarters.  The boathouse was situated to the west of the living quarters and was one story with two bays.

The station's first assigned keeper was Alexander McLean.  He oversaw a crew of seven surfmen.  Later, beginning in 1900, another crewman was added to supplement the crew during the summer months, making for a total of nine on duty from 1 May to 25 August with the rest of the year having just eight, including the keeper.  McLean resigned in 1891 and his replacement was Charles D. Stuart.  Stuart transferred to Cape Disappointment in April of that year and was replaced by Charles Jacobsen.  He remained the keeper until February, 1898 when he transferred to Petersons Point.  He was replaced by Oscard Wicklund, who was appointed keeper on 4 August 1898.  He remained on duty as keeper longer than any other.  One of the more famous rescues undertaken by the crew of the Point Adams Lifesaving Station was that of the wreck of the Rosecrans on 7 January 1913 in which each of the Lifesaving crewmen were awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal.

Point Adams Station was so badly affected by erosion in 1913-1914 that it was necessary to move the boathouse to another location.  Sometime between 1905 and 1923 another boathouse was also added to the station.  This one was built on piles in the Columbia River.  The next major modification came during Franklin Roosevelt's tenure as the nation's chief executive.  During his second term in office, the main station house was replaced by a Roosevelt-type building as a PWA project beginning in October of 1938 and was in use the following year.  A new boathouse was also constructed during this time.  At some point in the 1930s, all stations were renumber "for aviation purposes" and Point Adams was designated as Coast Guard Station No. 326.  A wooden sign was laid out flush to the ground with "326" painted in large numerals facing skyward (visible in one of the photos below).

In January of 1967 the Coast Guard decided to close the lifeboat station although one source notes that it may have been closed as early as 1963.  Its SAR responsibilities were taken over by the station at Cape Disappointment.  The Port Adams Station buildings were then used by the Clatsop Community College before the National Marine Fisheries Service bought the station and surrounding land from the Coast Guard.   

For more information, see:

David Pinyerd.  "The Preservation of Pre-World War Two Coast Guard Architecture in Oregon."  Master of Science thesis, Interdisciplinary Studies Program in Historic Preservation, University of Oregon, June 2000.

Keepers:

Alexander McLean was appointed keeper on 9 APR 1890 and resigned on 26 FEB 1891.

Charles D. Stuart was appointed keeper on 11 FEB 1891 and transferred to Cape Disappointment on 29 APR 1893.

Charles Jacobsen was appointed keeper on 29 APR 1893 and transferred to Petersons Point on 11 FEB 1898.

Oscard Wicklund (G) was appointed keeper on 4 AUG 1898 and was still serving in 1915.  He and his crew were awarded Gold Lifesaving Medals for a 7 January 1913.

Photographs:

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.

David Pinyerd.  "The Preservation of Pre-World War Two Coast Guard Architecture in Oregon."  Master of Science thesis, Interdisciplinary Studies Program in Historic Preservation, University of Oregon, June 2000.

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.