October 2021 ASCE-NH Section Lunch & Learn Webinar Presented By : Duncan Mellor , P . E .
WHEN : Wednesday , October 27 , 2021 WHERE : Zoom Video Communications ( Anywhere !!) PRESENTATION : Wood Island Life Saving Station Restoration & Access Improvements ( UPDATE )
Perched on a very small island at the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor , the Wood Island Life Saving Station began life in 1908 by aiding mariners in distress . The station became part of the United States Coast Guard ( SCG ) in 1915 where it was used to defend the Harbor ; it would eventually be decommissioned after the end of World War II . The Town of Kittery , ME , took possession of the island in 1973 from the federal government . The station , which had been unused and vacant since 1948 , continued to deteriorate until the Wood Island Life Saving Station Association ( WILSSA ) was formed in 2011 . The WILSSA ’ s goal was to spearhead a renovation effort to save the historic station and preserve the unique facility for future generations .
Sine the formation of the WILSSA , the station building has been structurally restored with new hurricane proof windows , new roof and siding . The north and south seawalls were replaced in 2018 and 2019 , respectively , by the Maine National Guard . Recent construction activities involved an ADA accessible pier and replacement of the historic marine railway for lifeboat launching . The ultimate uses will include a maritime museum to exhibit the vast station history and a town park .
Please join ASCE-NH for this 1.0-PDH lecture that shall include a refresher on the history of Wood Island and an update regarding the on-going restoration efforts taking place at Wood Island .