Station Grays Harbor, Washington
Coast Guard Station #330
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Location:
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3-1/2 miles southeast by east of entrance to Grays Harbor, 1/4 mile south of Grays Harbor Light.
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Date of Conveyance:
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Station Built:
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1897
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Fate:
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Still in operation
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Remarks:
The first rescue station in Grays Harbor area was established in the mid-1800's by the U.S. Lifesaving Service. This was the North Cove station located 10 miles south of Westport.
1858-1859: Capt. W.B. Wells was the first known Willapa Bay Lighthouse keeper
1859-1861: Willapa Bay Lighthouse closed due to lack of oil for light
1861-1862: Rober Espy Willapa Bay lighthouse keeper
1862-1863: W.B. Wells reassumes Willapa Bay lighthouse keeper.
1866: McEwen Willapa Bay lighthouse keeper.
1870: Asahel K. Bush Willapa Bay lighthouse keeper.
1871: F.B. Holman, James Anderson. and Tom Williams were keepers or assistance of the Willapa Bay Lighthouse.
1875-1881: Sidney Smith Willapa Bay Lighthouse keeper.
1882-1883: John Telbin Willapa Bay Lighthouse keeper.
1883-1884: Marinus A. Stream Willapa Bay Lighthouse keeper.
1887-1892: 1st keeper Chas. Jacobson Willapa Bay Lighthouse keeper.
1894-1913: Rasmus Petersen Willapa Bay Lighthouse keeper.
1897: Charles Jacobsen became the first keeper of Peterson Point.
1897: Construction began on the Grays Harbor Light
1898: June 30th construction was completed on the Grays Harbor Light and put into service. The first keeper was Christian Zauner he began June 14, 1898. Grays Harbor Light is the tallest light in WA. at 107 feet and the focal point of the light is 123 feet above sea level.
1898: the lifesaving service moved the faculties to Peterson Point making the station Peterson Point Station 1/8 mile south of Westport.
1900: First telephone line ever installed at the beach. Call was made from the Willapa Station for assistance from Westport station.
1902: the station was again renamed to Grays Harbor Station.
1913-1920: Anders Gjertsen Willapa Bay Lighthouse keeper.
1914: first motorized lifeboat arrived at Westport and was housed at the Pacific Avenue Dock in a boathouse where it could be lowered to the water.
1915: U.S. Lifesaving Service was merged with the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service to become the Coast Guard.
1916: the fog signal building burned down.
1917-1920: Roy Jacobsen became Grays Harbor Lifesaving Station Keeper.
1920-1930: Olaf and Anna Hansen Willapa Bay Lighthouse keeper.
1920-1922: Hilman Persson became Grays Harbor Lifesaving Station Keeper.
1933: April 6-7 Grays Harbor hit by worst disaster in Port's history gale storm hits 19 fishermen lives lost, 13 boats founder and 40 others still out.
1922-1938: Hilman Person took charge of Peterson Point Station.
1930-1939: John Wilson Willapa Bay Lighthouse keeper (Became Coast Guard)
1937: the dramatic rescue of the Trinidad by Station Grays Harbor was voted the most outstanding Coast Guard Feat that year. Saving all but one of her crew in stormy conditions ranging to sixty miles an hour winds.
1938: the Captain Persson and crew received the gold Congressional Medal on board the C.G.C. Onandaga for the Trinidad rescue.
1938-1941: CWO L.V. Barnett commanded Station Grays Harbor.
1939: last station established moved from Ocean Avenue by the Coast Guard moved to the center of Westhaven Drive and is now the property of the Port of Grays Harbor.
1939: Lighthouse Service joined Coast Guard
1939: the Coast Guard Station in its new location is ready for occupancy.
1940: Station Grays Harbor and facilities were dedicated.
1941: MLB Invincible arrives at Station Grays Harbor.
1941: CWO R. Van Hine Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1941-1942: CWO J.W. Mathews Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1946: CWO M.G. Alvey Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1946: Lost of 4 Coast Guardsmen at Willapa Bay. February 5th.
1946-1948: W.G. Kincaide Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1948-1949: CWO J.J. Miller Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1949-1950: CWO E.S. Klock Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1951: BMC J.J. Hardy Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1951-1952: CWO R.E. Miller Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1955: CWO R.W. Dowell Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1955-1957: BMC D. Dixon Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1957-1958: CWO F. Gold Commander of Station Grays Harbor
1958-1961: CWO P. Linquest Commander of Station Grays Harbor
1962: Coast Guard 44-foot MLB 44372 comes to Station Grays Harbor.
1961-1964: CWO W. Hake Commander of Station Grays Harbor
1964-1965: CWO C. Lippincott Commander of Station Grays Harbor
1965-1968: CWO Yarrington Commander of Station Grays Harbor
1968-1970: J.B. Alwxander Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1971: Old station turned over to GSA
1971-1973: CWO G. M. Vanderhoof Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1973: New Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor built and commissioned.
1973: First year Grays Harbor added on mission of marine environmental protection.
1973-1976: LT W.K. Herrel Commander of Station Grays Harbor
1976-1979: LT Chidester Commander of Station Grays Harbor
1975: Old Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor was listed on the WA. State Register of Historic Places.
1979-1982: LT S. H. Smith Commander of Station Grays Harbor
1984: The Westport-South Beach Historical Society was formed the building was turned over to its members for use as a maritime museum.
1983-1985: LT J. Duncan Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1985: Old Grays Harbor Station changed into a maritime museum.
1986: The Maritime Museum added on a glass-walled whale house containing skeletons of whales, sea lion and a porpoise.
1985-1988: LT. S. Gordon Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1988-1991: LT. P. Trapp Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1992: Grays Harbor lighthouses was turned off in August and replaced by an electronic device requiring less maintenance.
1993: 36-foot motor-lifeboat resurrected and memorialized in front of Station Grays Harbor.
1991-1994: CWO D.J. Booth Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1994-1998: CWO R.D. Lewis Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
1997: Lifesaving Service's boathouse at Toke Point up for sale Feb. 14.
1997: A duck boat was put on display at the Maritime Museum' s whale house.
1998: The first 47ft MLB arrives at Station Grays Harbor MLB 47216 replaces the 44372.
1998-2000: CWO W. Pwdersen Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
2001: Station Grays Harbor sends 47- footer to Seattle in wake of September 11th terrorist act.
2000-2003: CWO M.B. Hoag Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
2003-2004: CWO D.E. Wallace Commander of Station Grays Harbor.
The above was researched and provided to the Historian's office by BM2 Annette Hay, USCG.
Sources:
Annette Hay, USCG.
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.