Point Allerton Lifesaving Station
Also known as: Old Point Allerton Coast Guard Station
Why it's listed
Point Allerton Lifesaving Station is a clapboard-sided, 1 1/2 story Queen Anne building erected in 1889 on Stony Beach in Hull, Massachusetts, at the entrance to Boston Harbor. Built by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, it replaced a small station set up earlier by the Massachusetts Humane Society. Later additions include a two-story rear ell for the station chief, porches, and a small office. The station is tied to Captain Joshua James, its first keeper, who received a special waiver of the age requirement at 62. Between 1890 and 1902, he and his crews rescued people from eighty-six shipwrecks; of 556 people aboard, 16 died. The station remained among the busiest on the East Coast until a new Coast Guard station replaced it in the late 1960s. Of 32 lifesaving stations once in Massachusetts, only eleven remain, and only two are older than this one. The building is now vacant, with boarded windows.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the station is significant for its role in Massachusetts maritime history and for its association with Captain Joshua James, its first keeper and the most decorated life saver in U.S. history. It is also described as a link between early and modern U.S. lifesaving and as one of the oldest surviving lifesaving stations in the state.
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 81000110, listed June 11, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Nantasket Ave., Hull |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Listed | June 11, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000110 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1889) |
| Architect / builder | U.S. Corps of Engineers |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Maritime History, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as unoccupied and vacant; no longer in use as a station, with windows boarded up and condition rated fair. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.30577, -70.89967 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 81000110.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7207935
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.