United States Life Saving Service

United States Life Saving Service (HM1AH4)

Location: St Joseph, MI 49085 Berrien County
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Country: United States of America
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N 42° 6.601', W 86° 28.987'

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Inscription
The waters off St. Joseph and Benton Harbor have long served as an active and frequently dangerous avenue of maritime trade. High winds and hazardous waves made shipwrecks a common occurrence.

To assist mariners, a U.S. Life Saving Service Station was established at St. Joseph in 1877—one of the first on the Great Lakes. The government commissioned buildings, boats, rescue equipment, and a lifesaving crew. The Station's skilled "surfmen" performed many daring rescues.

In 1915, the U.S. Coast Guard assumed the duties of the Life Saving Service. St. Joseph's Coast Guard Station works to secure the safety of maritime activity for a nearly 900-square-mile district along the lakeshore.

(Upper Left Photo Caption)
19th Century view of the U.S. Life Saving Crew at St. Joseph
Photo: The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center

(Upper Right Photo Caption)
Although the buildings have been changed, the U.S. Coast Guard still operates from the same site as the 1877 U.S. Life Saving Service Station, shown here in 2008.
Photo: Alden J. Ho Photography

(Lower Right Photo Caption)
U.S. Coast Guard crew and 47-foot motor lifeboat at St. Joseph, 2007
Photo: Alden J. Ho Photograph

(Lower Left Photo Caption)
Surfmen practice a drill at St. Joseph, 1890s
Photo: The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center
Details
HM NumberHM1AH4
Tags
Placed ByCity of St. Joseph, The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center, and the Public History Program at Western Michigan University
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Monday, September 8th, 2014 at 7:09am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)16T E 542733 N 4662120
Decimal Degrees42.11001667, -86.48311667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 42° 6.601', W 86° 28.987'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds42° 6' 36.06" N, 86° 28' 59.22" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)269
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 300-398 Lake Blvd, St Joseph MI 49085, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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