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INDIAN RIVER LIFE-SAVING STATION
INDIAN RIVER LIFE-SAVING STATION
With the expansion of the nation’s maritime commerce following the Civil War, the need for improved methods of assisting ships in distress was apparent. Built in 1876 by the United States Life-Saving Service, the Indian River Life-Saving Station was part of a network of similar facilities which were constructed along the Atlantic seaboard. In 1915, the Life-Saving Service and Revenue Cutter Service were merged to form the modern-day United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard continued to operate the Indian River Station until it was decommissioned following a devastating coastal storm in 1962. The property was later transferred to the State of Delaware. For a time the Station was utilized as a maintenance facility by the state’s Transportation agency. Then it became part of Delaware Seashore State Park. In 1997, the facility was extensively renovated and restored to its 1905 appearance. It is now operated by the Delaware Seashore Preservation Foundation in partnership with the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation.
The Indian River Life-Saving Station was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
SC-148
LOCATION: Indian River, located on Route 1 in the Delaware Seashore State Park, 3 miles south of Dewey Beach or 1 mile north of the Indian River Inlet bridge The Delaware Public Archives operates a historical markers program as part
of its mandate. Markers are placed at historically significant locations and sites
across the state. For more information on this program, please contact Moira Conlan at (302) 744-5035
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