Our Journey

Built in 1902 and commissioned in 1904, the Squan Beach Life Saving Station is located about 1000 feet from the Atlantic Ocean in Manasquan, N.J. This Duluth-style facility served to house  surfmen and equipment used to save victims of shipwrecks off the Manasquan area coast. Earlier structures dating back to the 1850s were outgrown and replaced at this site providing a life saving facility along the Squan Beach. In the 1915 the station became part of the US Coast Guard and served as the Manasquan Coast Guard Station until 1996 when it was decommissioned and later sold July 26, 2000, to the borough for $1.00. The sale included certain restrictions that must be adhered to or the property reverts to the U. S. Government.

The station and the community have shared a lifelong maritime heritage. Historic records indicate that even before the borough was incorporated in 1887, a station was located at this site in 1856 to serve as a first responder for those in trouble in the treacherous waters along the state’s oceanfront. (The present station had replaced the 1856 and 1871 former wooden structures that were either destroyed during a storm or inadequate for the service.) Many of the streets in Manasquan are named after local sea captains and Station Masers. Families in town volunteered their homes and hospitality to the Coast Guard electronic repairmen while they served at this station. Indeed, the town, the community, the people, and the station share an incredible historical value for New Jersey and the nation’s East Coast development. Ownership of the building meant that the borough could honor its lifesaving and maritime heritage in the most suitable building in the town, a maritime landmark, plus, serve as a community center for organizations to congregate.

After the transfer of the building, an ad hoc group was established to explore uses, funding, and preservation options. By 2004, plans were presented to Mayor and Council for the re-use of the station and it was officially announced that a nonprofit group would be organized to spearhead the plan while simultaneously fundraising for the project. This group, the Squan Beach Life Saving Station Preservation Committee, Inc., is now an established 501c3 corporation.

When the borough gained ownership, the condition of the building was already in need of serious attention primarily because of the disrepair and lack of maintenance when the Coast Guard ended its activity in 1996. Also, damage from several storms, flooding, and benign neglect helped degrade the station’s condition. Ruptured pipes, water damage, inadequate electrical service, plumbing fixtures and pipes, warping, mold, and asbestos have plagued and hampered efforts to restore the site while maintaining the historic character and nature of the building.

In 2002 the Borough bonded $300,000 to cover all the costs for clean-up and rehabilitation. However, preliminary estimates suggested major funding was needed and that a professional historical management team approach was warranted for the success of this rehabilitation. The town and the nonprofit group partnered to apply for a Historic Site Management Grant and was awarded funds to hire architects/preservationists through the New Jersey Historic Trust.

The town also applied for matching county grants; one for cultural development of the station, and one to provide ADA accessibility. Both were successful. The Preservation Committee has been successful recruiting membership to support the project as well as receiving funds from corporate and private donors. All of the non state-funded financial support together provides the matching funds requested for a New Jersey Historic Trust capital grant. Continued fundraising by the Preservation Committee has afforded further awards of matching grants from the Monmouth County and State Historical Commissions from 2006 thru 2024 applications. The nonprofit preservation corporation continues to explore fundraising opportunities.

Through our continuing efforts of fundraising and to secure grants we have been able to complete the following projects: Rehabilitation of the station started in 2005 with the asbestos abatement. In 1902 asbestos was used for aggregate in plaster. When the plumbing froze and thawed in the building, water soaked the plaster, and the asbestos became friable. Once all of the asbestos was abated, bids for additional construction work were solicited later in 2007 and in 2008. We lost our roof in Super Storm Sandy and replaced it in kind through an insurance claim. We have purchased an exact duplicate of the original sign over the boat room doors, repaired the roof gutters, painted all exterior trim, reconditioned the boat room doors and replaced the windows at the top of the tower. We continue to rehabilitate the station as our fundraising, donors and grants have allowed.

The goals of these projects were to provide: an educational maritime museum so that visitors can learn and enjoy the significance of this life saving facility; a place for local organizations to convene; a meeting place for local artists, authors and discussion groups; and other uses that are consistent with the historic nature of this facility. Recently we acquired an original Manby Mortar and a faking box of the type used to rescue 200 souls from the Ayrshire   at Squan Beach in 1850. Various lectures and other events are offered during the year. We have hosted over a thousand visitors a year and strive to continue sharing the unique history of Manasquan, the Jersey Shore and the Life Saving Service. Our museum is open to the public on Thursdays and Sundays from Memorial Day through September. Group tours can be arranged at any time 732-447-6419