Humboldt Bay Life-Saving Station
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Humboldt Bay Life-Saving Station
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The Humboldt Bay Life-saving Station
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| Nearest city | Eureka, California |
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| Coordinates | 40°46′0.4″N 124°13′5.3″W / 40.766778°N 124.218139°WCoordinates: 40°46′0.4″N 124°13′5.3″W / 40.766778°N 124.218139°W |
| Area | 46.5 acres (18.8 ha) |
| Built | 1936 |
| Built by | Fred J. Maurer |
| Architectural style | Other, Eastern seacoast |
| NRHP reference # | 79000477 |
| Added to NRHP | October 30, 1979 |
The Humboldt Bay Life-Saving Station was originally built in November 1878 on the north side of the entrance to Humboldt Bay in northern California, United States near Eureka, adjacent to the site of the first Humboldt Harbor Light (1856–1892). Rebuilt in 1936 with marine railways to launch rescue surfboats, the historic facility was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 30, 1979. The station continues to function as an important asset of the United States Coast Guard in the Coast Guard Group/Air Station Humboldt Bay.
Humboldt Bay was listed as one of the most dangerous harbor entrances in California due to the narrow 0.25 miles (0.40 km) wide channel with tidal currents and shifting sandbars plus unpredictable weather with high winds and heavy fog.
In 1851, the United States Congress appropriated $15,000 for the Humboldt Harbor Light which entered service in 1856. The vegetable oil burning light shone from a 53 feet (16 m) tall tower whose keeper lived in a Cape Cod style house at the base. The first keeper in 1856 was J. Johnson whose wife, Sara, operated the light after his death in 1859 until 1863. Fog, however, kept the light from being seen well and so other sites were sought. The lighthouse was damaged in 1877 and 1882 by earthquakes and in 1885 by a flood and was abandoned in 1892, when the entire facility, including the Fresnel lens, was relocated to the Table Bluff Light on October 31. Years later, the top of the tower was found in the sand and relocated to the Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum.
Other aids to navigation including bells on boats and fog whistles, including one on the north side of the channel, were in operation by at least 1908. The fog keeper and assistant keeper lived at the actual station. There was nearby housing for their families although none of the buildings remains.
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Wikipedia