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Records of the U.S. Life-Saving Service

The U.S. Life-Saving Service (USLSS) was a forerunner of the U.S. Coast Guard. As its name suggests, it was dedicated to saving the lives of people shipwrecked off U.S. shores. The ÍþÄá˹ÈËÓéÀÖ³¡ and Records Administration (NARA) houses records documenting both the USLSS's activities and its employees. These records are found in Record Group 26, Records of the United States Coast Guard, and are located at multiple NARA research facilities.

Historical Overview

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Photograph of a group of men guiding a U.S. Life Saving Service vessel out to sea at Cape Henry

The USLSS was officially organized under the Treasury Department in 1878. Prior to the Treasury Department assuming authority, life-saving services were conducted mostly on a volunteer basis.

Several early acts by Congress provided authorization for support to vessels and persons needing assistance, but the first appropriations for such services were authorized in 1847. These appropriations included the establishment of life-saving stations. In 1854 additional stations were added, in 1870 authorization for employment of surfmen was provided, and in 1872 life-saving stations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island were included.

Prior to the Treasury Department organizing the USLSS, many aspects of operations and oversight were handled by the Revenue Marine Services, as officers of that service performed inspections and other duties that the superintendent required. A Board for the USLSS was formed in 1872, and the service then had a General Superintendent and an Assistant Superintendent of Construction of its own.

In 1915, when the USLSS merged with the Revenue Cutter Service to form the Coast Guard, it encompassed 13 Districts across the continental United States.

Examples of Records

Records of the USLSS are found in Record Group 26, Records of the United States Coast Guard, and are located at multiple NARA research facilities. The ÍþÄá˹ÈËÓéÀÖ³¡ Catalog provides descriptions of these records and the custodial units that house them; see ÍþÄá˹ÈËÓéÀÖ³¡ Identifier . For a list of NARA research facilities, please see Visit Us.

Select USLSS records at the ÍþÄá˹ÈËÓéÀÖ³¡ in Washington, DC (Archives 1), are listed below. For questions about these records, please contact the Archives 1 Reference Branch at archives1reference@nara.gov.

•  Logbooks of the U.S. Life-Saving Service

• "Personnel Records, 1898–1915" (ÍþÄá˹ÈËÓéÀÖ³¡ Identifier )

• "Service Card Records, 1900–1915" (ÍþÄá˹ÈËÓéÀÖ³¡ Identifier )

• "Registers of Employees, 1871–1913" (ÍþÄá˹ÈËÓéÀÖ³¡ Identifier )

• "Record of Applications and Engagements of Surfmen, 1897–1898" (ÍþÄá˹ÈËÓéÀÖ³¡ Identifier )

• "Articles of Engagement for Surfmen, 1878–1914" (ÍþÄá˹ÈËÓéÀÖ³¡ Identifier )

• "Records of Medals Awarded, 1876–1944" (Microfilm Publication M2136; ÍþÄá˹ÈËÓéÀÖ³¡ Identifier )