P a ge 40 t opside V olume 79 , I s s u e 1
Coast Guard Auxiliary 130 Year Old Boathouse Gets a Facelift
by COMO Joseph Giannattasio , AUXPA1
CAPE MAY , NJ – Now over 130 years old , the former Coast Guard Boathouse , commonly known as the Cape May Flotilla ’ s headquarters on Yacht Avenue has had a long distinguished history , from servicing the historic Cape May lighthouse to teaching boater safety courses . Originally built as a boathouse in 1890 by the U . S . Lighthouse Establishment , the boats used for servicing area navigation lights were stored in the building until 1939 , when it became a U . S . Coast Guard Lifeboat Station . In 1947 , it was assigned to the Coast Guard Auxiliary Cape May Flotilla , which was established in 1943 .
The building has an eventful past , and with that comes the responsibility of periodically repairing and maintaining the structure and property . Throughout the previous year , maintenance projects included making interior renovations installing a new ramp to the dock on the waterfront side of the property . The exterior work included power washing and applying a fresh coat of paint , installing a paver sidewalk , installing new window boxes and a new entryway into the building .
Continued on the next page …
The Cape May flotilla ’ s headquarters was the cover photo of the August 1949 issue of the District Fifth Northern newsletter TOPSIDE .
Coast Guard Auxiliary photo from flotilla 053-08-02 archives .
Photo taken of Cape May flotilla ’ s headquarters in 1972 . Coast Guard Auxiliary photo from flotilla 053-08-02 archives