chicamacomico life-saving station historic site & museum

If you want to understand the Outer Banks and how hard it is to live there sometime got here. A highly awarded station in it's day with a well preserved and proud history.

The US Life Saving Service, precursor to the US Coast Guard, brought us some of America's leat known heros. Dotting the coast the Life saving stations provided rescue for ships and sailors. Surfmen patrolled the beach during storm season, walking each direction out from the station till they met a surfman from the next station in the line, at which point they would each turn and return to their home station. Every night they kept their vigil, during the day they kept lookout from the station and perfected their rescue techniques through drills. These men left their homes and lived at the station during the fall, winter, and early spring, putting their lives at risk battling storms to rescue those in danger.CLSS give you a look back at what those men did, how they lived and how they trained. We have visited CLSS as well as the Old Coast Guard Station in Virginia Beach, what was the Seatack station. Both offer a great perspective into what things were like for the surfmen in those days, and give you a special insight into the sacrifices and bravery of the crews. CLSS however, is special in that they have an operational beach cart. Thursdays during the summer, Coast Guardsmen volunteer their time to re-enact the Beach Cart Drill that the Surfmen used to train on deploying the breeches buoy to recover survivors. This a great show, which gives some insight into the capabilities of the crews, who were timed on this evolution as part of their certification requirements in the day.With the museum on site, giftshop and multiple buildings from the day CLSS is a great way to spend a few hours and get in touch with the history of the coast, and the valor and dedication of these early rescuers.

Learned quite a bit about the Graveyard of the Atlantic, and the US Life Saving Stations before the existence of a true coast guard. Staff is very knowledgeable, and did an excellent job keeping the little ones interested. Spent about 1.5 hours here, and I was told that more would be added next year, so if I'm ever in the Outer Banks again, I will definitely be returning.

If you have a mild interest in history, this attraction is well worth the visit! Make sure to also visit all the out-buildings.

Our original plan was to stop by only to buy cuttings from the 100 year old fig tree, but after meeting James and hearing more about the museum, we quickly changed our minds. Such a wonderful, charming, and historic place. We learned so much about the lives of these early heroes, the predecessors to our current Coast Guard members. Thanks to James and Warren for taking time to talk to us and fueling our interest in the Chicamacomico Historic Site. We will be stopping by each and every future visit to the Outer Banks.

I was impressed by all the stories of self-sacrifice, as well as the limitations/ ingenuity of the crew-members. If you find yourself disheartened by modern news, this is the place to go! While on vacation, it's a wonderful way to renew your faith in the potential of man.

This place is fantastic as are the staff. We were there with a group and James came and spoke to us about Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station. I was amazed to learn about the Life Saving Station and its roll in our history. What is unbelievable is that there are no public funds supporting this historical site. It needs to be on your list of things to visit while on the Outer Banks!

I was charmed by this site. While there, a staff member described a most heroic rescue which helped me understand the dangers that the life-saving crew faced. The site includes the building which held the rescue boat. The house where the supervisor of the crew and his family lived and the quarters that the crew shared. It was a wonderful step back in time.

This is one of those places that you learn more than you expected. How many people are even aware of the US Lifesaving Service and its development into the US Coast Guard? Fascinating history lesson and an interesting site. Plan to spend at least an hour wandering around.

There is quite a bit of history packed into this small site. If you enjoy tidbits of little-known historical information then you will love this place. The methods of rescue alone are pretty impressive given the lack of modern equipment, but the history of how the life saving service began and of the courageous surf men who risked their lives to rescue thousands of people and tons of cargo from the multitude of ships wrecked on the coast of the Outer Banks was compelling. It's a place that allows you to step back in time for a moment and imagine the hardships of living on the Outer Banks at that time and also to experience the tenacity of the people who made it their home. A must see in my book.

Good visit, not a major attraction but worthwhile. Learned a bit and enjoyed myself. Pleasant area to wander.

I knew the Coast Guard originated from the revenue service and life saving. The station here was very informative of the service provided on the outer banks. The staff was very helpful. The buildings are original and a great job has been done to restore them. The day we were there they had USCG personnel volunteering their day off time.

With all the obtrusive "Waves" beach stores and putt-putt attractions it was awesome to gain more of a historical appreciation of the Outer Banks. Chicamacomico Life Saving Station honors the efforts of generations of individuals who came to ships' rescues on the OBX. It offers a genuine opportunity to learn and gain appreciation for what life was like for coastal residents and travelers. Thank you Chicamacomico!

We had no idea what to expect but we are so glad we stopped here!! Very educational and interesting to learn about the Life Saving Station and how they saved so many people from shipwrecks in the 1800/1900's. During the summer they have re-enactments - check the schedule. It sounds like USLSS knew about zip lining long before it ever became popular (it's how they bring people to shore more or less). The staff and volunteers were very friendly and knowledgeable. I hope they are able to make necessary repairs to buildings soon. Funds are low but they are doing what they can to keep it up.

The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station & Museum brings to life and puts into perspective the life saving history of the Outer Banks area. It is a self guided tour that tells the story of the changes through the decades of how the men of life saving stations risk their lives saving others via ship disasters. We were very impressed with the buildings, the equipment and the numerous artifacts of the museum. This is a must see for history buffs and highly recommended for anyone interested in learning more about this fascinating life of the Surfmen on the Outer Banks.