Type Coast Guard Station In use 1856-1966 | Open to
the public Yes Owner Seaside Park | |
 | ||
Coast Guard Station Toms River is a former United States Coast Guard station in Seaside Park, New Jersey at the mouth of the Toms River. The area was manned in 1856 with Samuel Chadwick as the first lifeguard. The first boathouse was constructed in 1872 by the New Jersey Life Saving Service as the Toms River Life Saving Station. Station Toms River was United States Life-Saving Service Station #13 and Coast Guard's Station #109 in the 5th District.
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History
The New Jersey Life Saving Service was established on August 9, 1854. Samuel Chadwick was appointed the first lifeguard in 1856. A boathouse for the Toms River Life Saving Station was built in 1872 on Decatur Avenue.
The station was transferred to the United States Life-Saving Service in 1898. Between 1898 and 1900 a new, larger station was built on the same Decatur Avenue site.
On November 30, 1896 the schooner Bertha Warner ran aground and the station saved all but one man. The crew of the station consisted of Elwood Rogers, Pete Newman, Joe Smyers, Jim Applegate, George Everingham and others. In 1906 the SS Carenz ran aground and 38 people were rescued. In 1909 the SS Thurmond ran aground and Henry Ware led the rescue.
In 1915 the United States Life-Saving Service was merged with the United States Revenue Cutter Service to form the United States Coast Guard. The station was turned over to the General Services Administration of the United States government in 1964. The Borough of Seaside Park bought the building in 1966 and in 1996 transformed it into offices for the city clerk, tax collector, and the water and sewer department.