Nahant Life-Saving Station
Also known as: Nahant Coast Guard Station
Why it's listed
Built in 1900 at Short Beach in Nahant, Massachusetts, this life-saving station housed crews who rescued victims of coastal shipwrecks. The two-story, wood-frame Station House, designed by Victor Mindeleff in the Shingle Style, has a steep shingled roof, inset porches, a fieldstone foundation and a lookout tower where crews watched the coast. A Colonial Revival equipment building was added in 1938. The station served the U.S. Life-Saving Service until 1915, the Coast Guard until 1964, and then a Coast Guard recreational facility until 1999, when the Town of Nahant took ownership. It was one of 33 such stations in Massachusetts and is one of twelve still standing. It is the only survivor in the state built to a unique design rather than a standardized plan. Its largely intact layout, with separate quarters for the keeper and crew around a central boatroom, supports its recognition for architecture and maritime history.
Significance in brief: The station was one of 33 life-saving stations established in Massachusetts before the Coast Guard was formed in 1915, and one of only twelve that survive. It is the only surviving one-of-a-kind station in the state, since the others were built from standardized plans. The nomination argues it is a largely intact example of a coastal rescue station important to maritime history, qualifying under Criteria A and C at the local and state levels.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 12000133, listed March 20, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 96 Nahant Rd., Nahant |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 20, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000133 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1950 |
| Architect / builder | Victor Mindeleff, architect |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Shingle Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Town of Nahant since 1999; the exterior has been restored to the 1915-1920 period and the first floor interior has been restored. Current uses are listed as civic. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.43055, -70.93384 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 12000133.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16895649
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.