When: Monday, September 13th at 7:00PM
Where: On Zoom. Click here to register.
The Leominster Library in partnership with the Central Massachusetts Genealogical Society presents:
Daily Life in the “U.S. Life Saving Service:” Along the Coast of New England in the 19th Century and educational lecture with Dennis Picard (historical, genealogical, and maritime interest)
Faced with the loss of the lives of crew and passengers of grounded or wrecked ships the Federal government, in 1879, established and supported an organization called the United States Life Saving Service.. This organization designed, built and manned life saving stations on all the U.S. coastlines including those of the Great Lakes.
The daily duties at these buildings were supervised by the station keeper and carried out by individuals called “surfmen.” Come hear about their daily routines as well as some of their stories of lifesaving on the New England coast. Learn about some of their tools, including the critically important Lyle gun, the Coston signal rocket and the unsinkable surfboats.