Station Spring Lake, New Jersey

Station Spring Lake, New Jersey
Formerly Station Wreck Pond

USLSS Station #8, Fourth District
Coast Guard Station #104

Wreck Pond/Spring Lake (#104):

It is not known precisely when this station was built, but a keeper is believed to have been appointed in 1849. The station was named the Wreck Pond station until June 1, 1883. The 1879 Annual Report mentions that the rebuilding of the station, started the previous year, was completed. A new site was acquired, in 1891, located "two and one—half miles south of Shark River." Mention is made in the 1895 Annual Report that a new station had been built to replace the old one "built many years ago and which had become inadequate to the wants of the Service" at Spring Lake. 

Early keepers were Samuel Ludlow (appointed at the age of 46 on July 1, 1862, he served until he was removed on March 27, 1879), H. L. Howland (August 11, 1879, he served until he appeared on disability rolls effective November 15, 1886), Joseph Shibla (August 19, 1886, until his resignation for physical reasons August 31, 1904), Andrew Longstreet (August 26, 1904, until his reassignment to Squan Beach on October 23, 1904), George W. Hennessey (appointed October 19, 1904, he was the keeper until his death on July 24, 1905——he "died suddenly while undergoing physical examination"), and William A. Osborn (September 1, 1905, until his retirement by reason of incapacitation on August 10, 1917). 

The station was one of those discontinued in 1917 and is carried as an auxiliary station to the Manasquan station with an enlisted man in charge; later (1922) "discontinued as an active unit."  This state continued until 1925, when the station again appeared as a full station in the records.  The next officer’s in charge were Chief Petty Officer W. D. Townsend (1927), Chief M. M. Hymer (1931, to Shark River in 1932), and Chief B. C. Irons (1932, to Long Branch station in 1933). 

The station again appears as a discontinued unit in 1934.  It remained so until 1947 when the site was abandoned.

Keepers & OICs:

Stephen Newman was appointed in 1849. It is unknown when he left the service.

Samuel Ludlow was appointed on JUL 1, 1862 and left the service in 1879.

H. L. Ludlow was appointed on AUG 11, 1879 and left the service in 1886 He was placed on the disability roll on NOV 15, 1886.

Andrew Longstreet was appointed on AUG 26, 1904. On OCT 23, 1904 he was reassigned to Squan Beach.

George W. Hennessey was appointed on OCT 19, 1904 and died in service on JUL 24, 1905.

William A. Osborn was appointed on AUG 25, 1905 and served to AUG 10 1917.

CPO W. D. Townsend was assigned in 1927.

CPO M. M. Hymer was assigned in 1931 and he transferred to Shark River in 1932.

CPO B. C. Irons was assigned in 1932 and he transferred to Long Branch in 1933.

Photographs:

"SPRING LAKE"; no date/photo number; photographer unknown.
Courtesy of Van R. Field.

"SPRING LAKE"; no date/photo number; photographer unknown.
Courtesy of Van R. Field.

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.