Point Allerton Lifesaving Station

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Point Allerton Lifesaving Station
Photo from NPS Maritime Heritage Program collection
Point Allerton Lifesaving Station is one of the oldest remaining lifesaving stations in Massachusetts. Also known as Old Point Allerton Coast Guard Station, it was established in Hull in 1889. Designed by architect Albert B. Bibb, it replaced a nearby station established by the Massachusetts Humane Society prior to 1874. The Massachusetts Humane Society was the third oldest lifesaving society in the world and the precursor to the U.S. Life-Saving Service. Constructed by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, the one-and-one-half-story, Queen Anne style clapboard building (with a later two-story rear ell attached to its southeast corner) rests on a modern concrete foundation. A small, one-story boathouse stands directly behind the ell. The original portion of the station is rectangular in plan. The rear ell is the most prominent addition, which was built to house the station chief.

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Historic image of Captain Joshua James (right) with crew member and boats at Point Allerton Lifesaving Station
Photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office

The Massachusetts' coastline at one time featured 32 lifesaving stations of which only 11 remain. Only two of the existing stations are older than Point Allerton, and both have been converted into private residences. Known as the most active lifesaving station on the East Coast, Point Allerton is famous for the central role it played in Massachusetts maritime history, as well as its associations with Captain Joshua James (1826-1902). James was born in Hull and devoted 60 of his 75 years to saving over 1,000 lives from shipwrecks in Boston Harbor. He received several lifesaving medals and other acknowledgements throughout his illustrious career.

In the late 1960s, the new Point Allerton Coast Guard Station replaced Point Allerton Lifesaving Station. The historic building was converted into the Hull Lifesaving Museum, the museum of Boston Harbor Heritage, whose mission is to preserve the region's lifesaving tradition and maritime culture through collections, exhibits, experiential and interpretive education, and research. The museum traces the history of organized lifesaving from its 18th-century roots to the modern Coast Guard, celebrates the life of Joshua James, displays a variety of lifesaving equipment and houses a collection of books and manuscripts by noted author Edward Rowe Snow.

Point Allerton Lifesaving Station is located at 1117 Nantasket Ave. in Hull. It is owned by Boston Harbor Heritage and is open to the public year round, Wednesday-Saturday, 10:00am to 4:00pm. For further information, please call 781-925-5433 or visit the Hull Lifesaving Museum's website.

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