Station Potunk, New York
USLSS Station #17, Third District
Coast Guard Station #75
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Location:
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1 1/2 miles southwest of Potunk Village; 40-47' 30"N x 72-39' 00"W
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Date of Conveyance:
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1854
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Station Built:
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1872
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Fate:
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Discontinued in 1937
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West Hampton / Potunk / Petunk (#75):
Potunk station was built in 1872, it is believed, at a position "one and one half miles southwest of Potunk village." Later, this became "near eastern end of Moriches Bay, southwest one and one-half miles of Potunk Point." In 1878, the station was called "Tanner’s Point." Then the station was called the West Hampton station in the records until June 1, 1883, when it was called Petunk. This must have been one of the stations in existence before the Life-Saving Service was formed.
In 1937, Potunk station appeared on the list of inactive stations, and its position is given as "on West Hampton Beach, east end of Moriches Bay, eight and three-quarters miles west southwest of Shinnecock Light, and four and one-quarter miles east northeast of Moriches Inlet." But the station did not return to an active status. The station was completely demolished during the hurricane of September, 1938.
Keepers:
The first keeper is given as Franklin C. Jessup (appointed at the age of 48 with experience as a "sailor, wrecker, etc." on July 14, 1869, he served until his resignation June 20, 1899). He is followed by a rapid-fire succession of keepers: Isaac Gildersleeve (August 7, 1899 until retirement with thirty years’ service and more than 64 years of age on March 25, 1915), Richard 0. Goodman (who served until October 31, 1916 when he retired with thirty years’ service), Albert D. Jackson (reassigned from Quogue station August 1, 1917, he served until his retirement on July 31, 1919), William A. Goldbeck (reassigned from Quogue station August 16, 1919 until his resignation September 20, 1920), John H. Tourgee (reassigned December 9, 1920 from the Office of the Fourth District Superintendent until his reassignment to the First District in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on July 8, 1929). In 1937, the officer in charge was Chief J. Slovick, Jr.
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.