This article contains a list of United States Coast Guard stations in the United States within the United States Coast Guard's nine districts. There are currently many stations located throughout the country along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean and Great Lakes. Although many of the stations have been located on shore, floating stations have been based on the Ohio River[1] and Dorchester Bay.[2]
Many of the stations listed date from the 1800s, during the existence of the United States Life-Saving Service. Development of stations were started with the 1848 signing of the Newell Act. This act allowed Congress to appropriate $10,000 to established unmanned life-saving stations along the New Jersey coast south of New York Harbor and to provide "surf boat, rockets, carronades and other necessary apparatus for the better preservation of life and property from shipwreck ... ." During that same year, the Massachusetts Humane Society received funds from Congress for life-saving stations on the Massachusetts coastline. Over the next six years, further stations were built, although they were loosely managed.[3]
The advent of air stations beginning in 1920 meant that some stations would become obsolete, as air coverage and improved technology were better able to supplement the rescue of mariners in remote regions. With early air stations using aircraft that could land on water, boat and air stations could work together to make sure that maximum help could be provided in time of need.[4]