The government assumed responsibility for safety of navigation in Federal waters
This included a system of buoys to mark navigable channels and dangers
Early vessels used to maintain the system were chartered private vessels
Most of these early records were lost
Records pick up in the late 1800s
Sunrise Class (Unknown Rig)
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT | Sunrise | 1867 – 1875 | ||
USLHT | Sunset | 1867 – 1875 | ||
USLHT | Susan | 1867 – 1875 |
135′ Verbena Class (Unknown Rig)
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT | Alanthus | 1870 – 1882 | ||
USLHT | Verbena | 1870 – 1911 |
45′ Lyra Class (Unknown Rig)
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT | Lyra | 1872 – 1875 | ||
USLHT | Arcturus | 1872 – 1875 | ||
USLHT | Orion | 1872 – 1875 | ||
USLHT | Polaris | 1872 – 1875 |
156′ Holly Class Side-wheeler
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT | Holly | 1881 – 1931 | ||
USLHT | Jessamine | 1881 – 1921 |
155′ Lilac Class (Unknown Rig)
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT | Lilac | 1892 – 1927 | ||
USLHT | Columbine | 1892 – 1924 | CGH |
69′ Snowdrop Class (Unknown Rig)
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT | Snowdrop | 1897 – 1922 | ||
USLHT | Water Lily | 1895 – 1929 |
173′ Magnolia Class
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Picture |
USLHT/USCGC | Magnolia | 1904 – 1945 | Rammed and sunk by SS Marguerite Lehand | CGAA |
USLHT/USCGC | Ivy | 1904 – 1940 |
190′ Manzanita Class
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Picture |
USLHT/USCGC | Anemone | 1908 – 1946 | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Cypress | 1908 – 1946 | CGH | |
USLHT/USCGC | Hibiscus | 1908 – 1946 | CGH | |
USLHT/USCGC | Manzanita | 1908 – 1946 | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Kukui | 1908 – 1946 | CGH | |
USLHT/USCGC | Orchid | 1908 – 1945 | To the Philippines | |
USLHT/USCGC | Sequoia | 1908 – 1946 | To the Philippines | |
USLHT/USCGC | Tulip | 1908 – 1945 |
200’ Cedar Class
Largest tender ever built for the LHS (1,970 tons)
Model: Yes
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT/USCGC | Cedar | 1917 – 1950 |
160′ Oak Class
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Picture |
USLHT/USCGC | Hawthorn | 1921 – 1964 | CGAA | |
USLHT/USCGC | Oak | 1921 – 1964 | To the Smithsonian | CGH |
172′ Speedwell Class (Ex-Army Speedwell Class Mine Planter)
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Picture |
USLHT/USCGC | Acacia (ex USAMP General John F. Story |
1927 – 1942 | Sunk by U-Boat The only buoy tender lost to enemy action |
CGH |
USLHT/USCGC | Ilex (ex USAMP General Edmund Kirby) |
1922 – 1946 | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Lotus (ex USAMP Colonel Albert Todd) |
1924 – 1946 | CGH | |
USLHT/USCGC | Lupine (ex USAMP Gen. W. P. Randolph) |
1927 – 1947 | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Speedwell (ex USAMP Col. John V. White) |
1923 – 1947 | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Spruce (ex USAMP General Garland N. Whistler) |
1923 – 1946 |
173′ Violet Class
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Picture |
USLHT/USCGC | Lilac | 1933 – 1972 | Donated to Harry Lundberg Seafarers International Union School | |
USLHT/USCGC | Mistletoe | 1939 – 1968 | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Violet | 1930 – 1962 | CGAA |
80′ Althea Class Tenders
Bay and sound tenders built for shallow near shore waters
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT/USCGC | Althea | 1930 – 1962 | CGAA | |
USLHT/USCGC | Poinciana | 1930 – 1962 |
121′ Linden Class Tenders
Bay and sound tenders built for shallow near shore waters
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT/USCGC | Columbine | 1931 – 1965 | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Linden | 1931 – 1969 | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Wisteria | 1933 – 1966 |
91′ Jasmine Class Tenders
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT/USCGC | Jasmine | 1935 – 1965 | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Blue Bonnet | 1939 – 1965 |
175′ Hollyhock Class
Last vessels designed by and delivered to the Light House Service
The third of the class, Fir, was delivered to the Coast Guard
Fir reigned as Queen of the Fleet from 1988 to 1991
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Picture |
USLHT/USCGC | Hollyhock | 1937 – 1982 | Sunk as reef off Florida | CGH |
USLHT/USCGC | Walnut | 1939 – 1982 | To Honduras | CGH |
USLHT/USCGC | Fir | 1940 – 1991 | Designed by LHS – Delivered to CG Entire career in the Pacific Northwest Queen of the Fleet 1988 to 1991 To Liberty Marine Maritime Museum in Sacramento, CA |
CGH |
103′ Goldenrod Class Tenders
River tenders
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT/USCGC | Goldenrod | 1938 – 1973 | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Poplar | 1939 – 1973 | Donated to National Science Foundation |
122′ Maple Class Tenders
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT/USCGC | Narcissus | 1939 – 1971 | To Guyana | CGAA |
USLHT/USCGC | Zinnia | 1939 – 1972 | To USAF | |
USLHT/USCGC | Maple | 1939 – 1973 |
177’ Juniper Class
Last vessel designed by USLHS
Model: No
Designation | Name | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT/USCGC | Juniper | 1940 – 1975 |
Misc One-of-a-Kind Tenders
The LHS often purchased existing vessels rather than build new
This saved money, but made for a long list of one-of cutters
Moldel:
Beech: Yes
Designation | Name | Rig | Service | Comments | Pictures |
USLHT | Active | 1856 – 1866 | |||
USLHT | Aguacate | 1901 – 1901 | |||
USLHT | Alert | Schooner | 1855 – 1862 | ||
USLHT | Arbutus 125′ | 1871 – 1875 | |||
USLHT | Arbutus 153′ | 1879 – 1924 | |||
USLHT | Armeria 201′ | 1890 – 1914 | |||
USLHT | Arum 25′ | 1893 – 1908 | |||
USLHT | Aster 179′ | 1908 -1908 | Never built | ||
USLHT | Atlantic | 1873 – ???? | |||
USLHT | Azalea 154′ | 1891 – 1933 | |||
USLHT | Bache 81′ | 1869 – 1869 | |||
USLHT | Belle 88′ | 1863 – 1874 | |||
USLHT | Birch 40′ | 1917 – 1930 | |||
USLHT | Bluebelle 25′ | 1889 – 1910 | |||
USLHT | Bluebelle 42′ | 1922 – 1936 | |||
USLHT | Bowen 77′ | 1853 – 1872 | |||
USLHT | Bramble | 1897 – 1905 | |||
USLHT | Buttercup 25′ | 1922 – 1936 | |||
USLHT | Cactus 140′ | Side-wheeler | 1865 – 1909 | ||
USLHT | Challenge (later Lamplighter) |
Schooner | 1856 – 1857 | ||
USLHT | Chaos | Schooner | 1865 – 1866 | ||
USLHT | Chase | 1861 – 1866 | |||
USLHT | Clover | 1907 – 1911 | |||
USLHT | Clover 126′ | Schooner | 1889 – 1890 | ||
USLHT | Coeur de Leon 100′ (former Van Santwoort) |
1860 – 1866 | |||
USLHT | Colonel Hodgson 115′ | 1922 – 1925 | |||
USLHT | Corinne 42′ | 1868 – 1879 | |||
USLHT | Cosmos 75′ | 1919 – 1936 | |||
USLHT | Crocus 35′ | 1894 – 1978 | |||
USLHT | Dahlia 141′ | 1874 – 1909 | First LHT built specifically for the Lakes | ||
USLHT | Daisy 54′ | 1895 – 1938 | |||
USLHT | Daisy 91′ | 1873 – 1885 | |||
USLHT | Dandelion 132′ | 1872 – 1878 | |||
USLHT | Dandelion 140′ | 1917 – 1926 | |||
USLHT | Delaware (later Wave) |
Schooner | 1856 – 1879 | ||
USLHT | Drift 80′ | 1984 – 1918 | |||
USLHT | DuPont | 1862 – 1870 | Seized CSA vessel | ||
USLHT | Eliza 53′ | 1853 – 1857 | |||
USLHT | Elizabeth | 1854 – 1855 | |||
USLHT | Elm 101′ | 1919 – 1932 | |||
USLHT | Essayons 42′ | 1855 – 1859 | |||
USLHT | Fairy | 1854 – 1854 | Lost in storm | ||
USLHT | Fern 160′ (later Gopher) |
1872 – 1905 | |||
USLHT | Firefly 75′ (later Jasper) |
1852 – 1857 | |||
USLHT | Forget-me-not 41′ | 1910 – 1933 | |||
USLHT | Franklin Pierce | 1853 – 1891 | Sank | ||
USLHT | Gardenia 117′ | 1888 – 1919 | |||
USLHT | General George Gibson | 1922 – 1927 | |||
USLHT | General Hodgson | 1925 – 1926 | |||
USLHT | General Ludington | 1925 – 1927 | |||
USLHT | General Poe | 1870 – 1871 | |||
USLHT | General Putnam | 1965 – 1891 | |||
USLHT | George Steers 63′ | 1854 – 1861 | |||
USLHT | Geranium 128′ | 1865 – 1909 | |||
USLHT | Goldenrod 150′ | 1888 – 1924 | CGH | ||
USLHT | Gopher (160′ former Fern) |
1905 – 1919 | To the Navy | ||
USLHT | Governor Aiken | 1855 – 1858 | |||
USLHT | Grace Darling 77′ (later Rose) |
1883 – 1892 | |||
USLHT | Granite | 1860 – 1865 | |||
USLHT | Haze | 1867 – 1905 | |||
USLHT | Hazel | 1893 – 1901 | |||
USLHT | Helen | 1858 – 1863 | Burned by CSA | ||
USLHT | Heliotrope 134′ | 1865 – 1881 | |||
USLHT | Heroine | 1853 – 1855 | |||
USLHT | Howell Cobb | 1857 – 1861 | Seized by CSA | ||
USLHT | Iris 83′ | 1865 – 1892 | |||
USLHT | Iris 153′ | 1899 – 1934 | Saw duty with the Army and Navy in WWII | ||
USLHT | Ivy 60′ | 1870 – 1875 | |||
USLHT | Ivy 100′ | 1881 – 1888 | Crushed in collision | ||
USLHT | J. N. Seymour 120′ (aka Seymour) (ex USS I. N. Seymour) (later Tulip) |
1867 – 1869 | |||
USLHT | Jasper 75′ (former Firefly) |
1857 – 1861 | Seized by CSA | ||
USLHT | John Rodgers 160′ | 1883 – 1921 | |||
USLHT | Joseph Henry 180′ | Side Paddle wheeler | 1880 – 1904 | ||
USLHT | Juniper 95′ | 1903 – 1932 | |||
USLHT | Lamplighter | Steamer | 1874 – 1874 | ||
USLHT | Lamplighter (former Challenge) |
Schooner | 1857 – 1862 | ||
USLHT | Larch 63′ | 1926 – 1935 | |||
USLHT | Laurel | 1891 – 1898 | |||
USLHT | Laurel 104′ | 1915 – 1930 | |||
USLHT | Laurel 134′ | 1976 – 1909 | |||
USLHT | Leal | 1894 – 1907 | |||
USLHT | Lehua 38′ | 1922 – 1936 | |||
USLHT | Lenox | 1856 – 1857 | |||
USLHT | Lilac | 1903 – 1904 | Name may have been changed – no records | ||
USLHT | Lily 178′ | 1875 – 1911 | Sank in Missouri River Hull silted and formed Lily Island |
||
USLHT | Lookout | 1853 – 1858 | |||
USLHT | Lotus | 1907 – 1923 | |||
USLHT | Lotus 40′ | 1880 – 1899 | |||
USLHT | Madrona 32′ | 1896 – 1907 | |||
USLHT | Madrona 180′ | 1885 – 1927 | |||
USLHT | Maggie 95′ | 1868 – 1879 | |||
USLHT | Magnolia 97′ | 1871 – 1882 | |||
USLHT | Manzanita 152′ | 1880 – 1905 | Sank | ||
USLHT | Maple 164′ | 1893 – 1933 | |||
USLHT | Marguerite 35′ | 1910 – 1923 | |||
USLHT | Marie | 1875 – 1875 | |||
USLHT | Martha | 1962 – 1964 | Captured by the Confederacy | ||
USLHT | Martha Washington | 1867 – 1869 | |||
USLHT | Mary | 1870 – 1887 | |||
USLHT | Mary Ann | 1809 – 1809 | |||
USLHT | Mignonette (former Narragansett) |
1871 – 1887 | Sank in 1877 Raised and returned to service Sank in 1887 |
||
USLHT | Minnie | 1871 – 1875 | |||
USLHT | Minot | 1858 – 1960 | |||
USLHT | Mistletoe 137′ | 1872 – 1921 | |||
USLHT | Myrtle 140′ | 1872 – 1922 | |||
USLHT | Narragansett (later Mignonette) |
1862 – 1871 | |||
USLHT | Nettle 58′ | 1879 – 1911 | |||
USLHT | North Wind | 1855 – 1861 | Seized by CSA | ||
USLHT | Oleander 188′ | 1903 – 1928 | |||
USLHT | Pansy (later Mayfair) 152′ |
1878 – 1933 | To private owner as Mayfair To USCG as Mayfair | ||
USLHT | Pharos | 1854 – 1907 | Last sailing tender in service | ||
USLHT | Pharos | 1872 – 1873 | |||
USLHT | Pine | 1918 – 1939 | CGAA | ||
USLHT | Pink | 1878 – 1881 | |||
USLHT | Pink | 1898 – 1923 | |||
USLHT | Poinsettia 50′ | 1917 – 1928 | Destroyed by fire | ||
USLHT | Poppy | 1923 – 1938 | |||
USLHT | Primrose 43′ | 1922 – 1936 | |||
USLHT | Putnam 120′ | 1865 – 1891 | |||
USLHT | Pyxie 89′ (ex USAMP General A.B. Ayers) |
Army Mine Planter | 1922 – 1923 | ||
USLHT | Ranger | 1857 – 1865 | |||
USLHT | Rose 64′ | 1870 – 1878 | |||
USLHT | Rose 92′ (former Grace Darling) |
1892 – 1899 | |||
USLHT | Sharpie 40′ | 1885 – 1907 | |||
USLHT | Shubrick 140′ | 1857 – 1886 | First steam LHT and first on West Coast | ||
USLHT | Skylark (later Watchful) | 1856 – 1857 | |||
USLHT | Spray | Schooner | 1853 – 1879 | ||
USLHT | Sumac 168′ | 1903 – 1937 | |||
USLHT | Sunbeam | 1852 – 1870 | |||
USLHT | Sundew 110′ (ex USAMP Captain Edwin C. Long) |
Army Mine Planter | 1922 – 1939 | ||
USLHT | Thistle 59′ | 1927 – 1935 | |||
USLHT | Thistle 60′ | 1890 – 1912 | |||
USLHT | Tulip 120′ (ex USS Isaac N. Seymour) (former J.N. Seymour (aka Seymour)) |
1869 – 1881 | To the Philippines | ||
USLHT | Two Myrtles (later Clover) | 1908 – 1935 | |||
USLHT | Van Santvoort 100′ (later Coeur de Leon) |
1857 – 1960 | |||
USLHT | Vigilant | 1856 – 1866 | |||
USLHT | Violet 107′ | 1871 – 1910 | |||
USLHT | Warrington 260′ (aka Henry Warrington) |
1871 – 1910 | |||
USLHT | Watchful (former Skylark) |
1857 – 1967 | |||
USLHT | Wave 65′ | 1853 – 1861 | |||
USLHT | William R. King | 1858 – 1863 | |||
USLHT | Wisteria | Steamship | 1882 – 1911 | To Public Health Service Sank at Key West, Artificial Island (Christmas Island) |
|
USLHT | Woodbine 95′ | 1914 – 1933 | |||
USLHT | Yerba Buena 42′ | 1907 – 1933 | |||
USLHT | Zinnia 161′ (later USS Adario) |
YNT | 1888 – 1924 | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Amaranth 166′ | 1892 – 1945 | CGH | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Arbutus 174′ | 1933 – 1967 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Aspen 125′ | 1906 – 1948 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Azalea (Lilac) 173′ | 1933 – 1972 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Beech 101′ | 1928 – 1963 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Birch 72′ | 1939 – 1963 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Camellia 116′ | 1911 – 1947 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Cherry 86′ | 1932 – 1964 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Cottonwood 151′ | 1939 – 1946 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Heather 178′ | 1903 – 1940 | To the Army | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Hemlock 174′ | 1934 – 1958 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Hyacinth 160′ | 1903 – 1945 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Hydrangea 164′ (former Mayflower) (former USS Suwanee) |
1897 – 1945 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Kickapoo 157′ | 1919 – 1945 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Mayflower 164′ (ex USS Suwanee) (later CGC Hydrangea) |
1897 – 1945 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Mangrove 164′ | 1897 – 1946 | CGH | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Rose 127′ | 1916 – 1947 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Shrub 107′ (ex USS F. Mansfield) |
1920 – 1947 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Alder | 1924 – 1948 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Aster | 1922 – 1946 | CGH | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Crocus | 1905 – 1946 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Dahlia | 1933 – 1964 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Elm | 1938 – 1969 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Greenbrier | 1924 – 1947 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Hickory | 1933 – 1967 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Larkspur | 1903 – 1946 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Locust | 1931 – 1954 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Marigold | 1891 – 1945 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Minneapolis (ex USA Minneapolis) (later Azalea) |
1940 – 1942 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Myrtle | 1932 – 1963 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Palmetto | 1917 – 1958 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Rhododendron | 1935 – 1958 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Sunflower | 1907 – 1946 | CGAA | ||
USLHT/USCGC | Tamarack | 1934 – 1970 | |||
USLHT/USCGC | Wake-robin | 1937 – 1948 | Last sternwheeler built for USLHS To US Army Corps of Engineers |
CGAA | |
USLHT/USCGC | Willow | 1927 – 1945 | To Army COE | CGAA |
Lightships (Light Vessels (LV))
Lightships were used to mark the entrances to major US ports
or to mark dangers to navigation
The first US lightship location was Willoughby Spit
It was manned in 1820 by the third US lightship to be built (LV C)
The last station to be discontinued was Nantucket Shoals
The last US lightship left station in 1983
Over the years 4 lightships were lost to storms
and one was rammed by RMS Olympic
One was lost to a German u-boat in WWI
Model: Yes
Designation | Name | Class | Hull | Service | Comments | Pictures |
LV A | 1820 – 1852 | Early lightships were controlled by the Lighthouse Establishment. A list of these vessels can be found at this Link. They are Lightships A through ZZ |
Yes | |||
USLHT | LV-1 | LV | 1 | 1852 – 1939 | In 1852 the Lighthouse Service was established replacing the Lighthouse Establishment The Service began numbering lightships from LV-1 A complete list of these vessels can be found at this Link |
Yes |