By David Maull
TV Times

Memories of the old Indian River Lifesaving Station differ with a person's age.

Younger generations probably remember it as a dilapidated building used by the State of Delaware for the storage of trucks, bulldozers and other pieces of heavy machinery.

Those a few years older likely remember it as a United States Coast Guard station, its primary use until the early-1960s.

But precious few, if any, will remember the structure in its original form - as a United States Lifesaving Service station.

The Delaware Seashore Preservation Foundation, however, is bringing those memories back to life.

The non-profit organization was founded in 1995 with a goal of renovating the building and turning it into a lifesaving museum. That dream was realized June 26 and 27 when the restored structure, located on Route 1 north of the Indian River inlet, opened its doors to the public.

Today, it is one of numerous museums preserving relics of Delaware's rich maritime history

"It was in dire need of reconstruction and renovation," said Charity Shankle, executive director of the Delaware Seashore Preservation Foundation. "If you do not preserve your past, you will not know the future. The structures here should be preserved for future generations."

Completed in 1876 as a U.S. Lifesaving Service station, the main building originally stood on a site 400 yards to the east.

"It would have been in the ocean (today)," said Shankle, who noted similar stations were once located every five miles along the East Coast.

In 1877, the building was moved to the site where it stands today.

The U.S. Lifesaving Service was established in 1871 for the purpose of saving victims of shipwrecks off the coast. At Indian River, surfmen patrolled the beach nightly, watching for distress signals from stranded vessels.

When a shipwreck occurred, horses pulled wagons filled with emergency equipment over the dune and to the ocean. Lifesaving personnel shot lines of rope from small cannons known as lyle guns to the ship and survivors would be carried along that line to the beach.

Items used by the lifesaving service, including lyle guns, paddles, lamps and a circa 1895 telephone are on display at the museum.

In 1915, the lifesaving service changed its name to the United States Coast Guard and, with the onset of World War I, its main priority became watching for German U-boats. It also served that purpose through World War II.

But in March 1962, a powerful northeast storm ravaged the Delaware Coast, dumping eight feet of water and four feet of sand into the building. It was decommissioned the day after the storm, bringing an end to its days as a Coast Guard station.

The state assumed ownership and used the property as an equipment storage area for about 30 years. Once the state vacated the site, the Delaware Seashore Preservation Foundation began a movement to renovate the station and surrounding buildings. (For more information visit the foundation's web site; http://www.irlss.org)

Displays are currently housed in the gift shop building but will be moved into the lifesaving station once painting is complete.

"Overall, the general response has been good," Shankle said. "That makes you feel great."

An open-air pavilion building to the rear of the station will likely be converted into an educational center. The foundation is hoping to add a theater and bring the original kitchen building back to the site. An old coal shed on the property is also slated for renovation.

Those projects should be completed in two years.

Here is a look at some other museums that will educate visitors on Delmarva's coastal history:

Ocean City Lifesaving Station Museum. Located downtown at the Ocean City inlet, this museum is housed in another restored lifesaving station. It features a illustrated history of the lifesaving service, an exhibit of artifacts from shipwrecks off the Delmarva coastline and a number of large saltwater aquariums. There is also a shark jaw exhibit and gift shop.

Zwannendael Museum. This building at King's Highway and Savannah Road in Lewes is a replica of the city hall in Hoorn, Holland. Among the displays are the ship's compass from the H.M.S. Lewes, relics from the War of 1812 and the door of the old Cape Henlopen Lighthouse.

Cannonball House Marine Museum. The Cannonball House, located on Front Street in Lewes, got its name from the British cannonball that struck it during the bombardment of Lewes in the War of 1812. Today, it serves as a museum with ship models, old diving equipment and photo histories of the Cape Henlopen Lighthouse and quarantine station.

Anna Hazzard Museum. This Rehoboth Beach museum, located on Christian Street, is one of the original tent structures from the town's religious camp meetings of the 1800s. It contains various photographs and displays outlining Rehoboth's history and one room is furnished as it would have been during the camp meeting period.

DiscoverSea Museum. This unique museum features about 6,500 artifacts recovered by Dale Clifton from shipwrecks off the Delaware coast. Items recovered by Clifton include gold jewelry, pewter mugs, weapons, pottery and gold and silver bars. The museum is located atop Sea Shell City in Fenwick Island. http://www.seashellcity.com

Nanticoke Indian Museum. Located on Route 24 in Oak Orchard, this museum displays clothing, weapons, tools and pottery from the Nanticoke and other native American tribes. One highlight is a large clay cooking pot that was rebuilt piece by piece.