Life Saving Station - Ocean City, MD - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

The plaque says, "On what is now the corner of Caroline Street and the Boardwalk, Ocean City's Life-Saving Station was built in 1878 and sat at the once northern edge of Ocean City. The life-saving station was a part of the coastal system, established by the United States Treasury Department for the saving of vessels in distress and lives in peril upon the water.

The surfmen stationed at Ocean City became an integral part of the newly developing town. Heroic deeds of rescue earned them the respect of the community. The station saw so much activity that the federal government decided to build a new larger facility in 1891. Here on the Eastern Shore of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, in its first forty years of service, the United States Life-Saving Service, is credited with saving over 4,500 lives from the "perils of the sea."

The U.S. Life-saving service merged with the Revenue Cutter Service in January 1915 to form the modern day United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard actively used the building until 1964. A new station was built closer to the inlet and has been maintained in Ocean City to the present day.

The original station fell into a stat of disrepair and was scheduled for demolition in 1977. A group of concerned citizens formed the Ocean City Museum Society. With the generosity of the Mayor and City Council, funds were made available to save the building and move it to its present location on the southern end of the Boardwalk. The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum welcomes visitors with self-guided tours and special programs for visitor of all ages."

Group that erected the marker: Ocean City Museum Society, Inc. Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Ocean City, MD, USA URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed

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