Atlantic City Station Site

1878 repaired; 1884 process of rebuilding; completed 1885; 1898 new station being erected in place of old and inadequate one (USLSS Annual Reports). The first government boathouse in the area was constructed in 1849. In 1871 a regular crew was established. In 1872 the Absecon Lighthouse was selected as the location for the station. In 1884, a larger station was built at the base of the lighthouse. In 1908, a site was purchased at 416 Carson Avenue, which served as the Atlantic City Boathouse until the 1939 station was constructed. In 1938 a new site on the north side of Clam Creek was given to the Coast Guard by Atlantic City for a station and boathouse. The old sites comprising the parcels and structures, constituting the major portion of the former Absecon Lighthouse Reservation was turned over in 1946 to the War Assets Administration. and assigned the surplus property for disposal. The present-day station was built in 1939-1941 (dedicated on 8/4/1941) for less than $500,000. At that time it was the largest Coast Guard Life Boat Station in existence. The main building was completely renovated in 1988 at a cost of $1.4 million (USCG Historian's Website).