Lighthouses and Life Saving Along the Connecticut and Rhode Island Coast

James Claflin

Jun 2001 · Arcadia Publishing

About this ebook

Lighthouses and Life Saving along the Connecticut and Rhode Island Coast is the third in a series of titles offering a unique tribute to the men and women who protected the mariners as they traveled along New England's rocky coastline. Thousands of vessels faced the dangers of the rugged sea which caused hundreds of shipwrecks off the coast with devastating losses. Author James Claflin combines a thoroughly descriptive text with this diverse collection of over two hundred vintage images, from private as well as museum collections, to create an illustrated history of an area strongly reliant on its coastal trade. The U.S. Light-House Establishment and the U.S. Life-Saving Service, which later merged to become the U.S. Coast Guard, assumed the responsibility of lighting and protecting the coasts. Inside, you will see the lighthouse keeper at Bullock's Point Light as he surveys the damage from the Hurricane of 1938, witness the life savers at Block Island's Sandy Point Station where first word of the wreck of the steamer Larchmont was received, and experience life on an offshore lightship. The book guides you through the days of the life savers-the work they performed, their rescues, and the evolution of their architecture through the years.

About the author

James Claflin is a collector and dealer in fine nautical antiques, specializing in the U.S. Lighthouse Service, the U.S. Life-Saving Service, the U.S. Revenue Cutter Services, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Lighthouses and Life Saving along the Connecticut and Rhode Island Coast celebrates the true American heroes who served to warn, rescue, and protect those in distress. It is sure to be enjoyed by residents of Connecticut and Rhode Island, as well as lovers of maritime history everywhere.