Welcome back to National Parks and other public lands with T!
2019 Lighthouse Challenge of NJ»
The Lighthouse Challenge of NJ celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019. I visited about half of the participating sites, focusing on the ones I didn’t see in 2018. My last stop was the life-saving station in Ocean City.
The US Life Saving Station 30 was built in 1885 to save seamen from the many shipwrecks that were then common on the Jersey Shore. It was active until 1936 and then again during WWII as a Coast Guard base to patrol for German submarines. Originally right on the beach, gradual sand accumulation now puts it a quarter mile from the shore.
The Coast Guard sold the station in 1945 and it was a private home for over 50 years. After a legal battle with a real estate developer, Ocean City purchased the property in 2010. After being damaged by Hurricane Sandy, it underwent a $1.5 million renovation and reopened as a museum in 2017.
2019 Lighthouse Challenge Posts:
- Tinicum Rear Range Lighthouse
- Finn’s Point Lighthouse
- Supawna Meadows NWR
- East Point Lighthouse
- Maurice River
- Cape May Lighthouse
- Cape May Point State Park
- Cape May Meadows
- Tatham Lifesaving Station
- Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary
- Lifesaving Station 30
Location: 801 E 4th St, Ocean City, NJ 08226
Designation: National Register of Historic Places
Date established/designated: June 14, 2013
Date of my visit: October 19, 2019
I’ve always admired those people who go out in the wildest weather even and put their own lives on the line to save others.
Yes😊
As always, an interesting read. Vivienne
Thanks Vivienne 😊
Having a son who is a coast guard pilot often called on to save lives out in the ocean, I have nothing but respect for those who risk their lives that others may live. –Curt
Indeed❤️
It’s interesting to see how historic sites can quickly change to private lands after a period of time, then change back again. Lifesaving Station has an impressive part of American history.
Thanks for reading and commenting. In this part of the country there are many historic buildings worth saving. In my town, the citizens banded together to save a home that dated back to colonial times and belonged to someone who fought against the British. It has passed down to descendants for two centuries. The modern owner fell on hard times and entertained selling to condo developers. That’s when the town stepped in, raised the money to purchase and began to turn it into a living history museum. I wonder how many other historic places do become condos
You’re welcome! I like your write-ups.