The United States Lightship LV-87/WAL-512 (''Ambrose'') is a riveted steel lightship built in 1907 and served at the

Ambrose Channel Ambrose Channel is the only shipping channel in and out of the Port of New York and New Jersey. The channel is considered to be part of Lower New York Bay and is located several miles off the coasts of Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and Breezy Point, ...

lightship station from December 1, 1908, until 1932, and in other posts until her decommissioning in 1966. It is one of a small number of preserved American lightships, and now serves as a museum ship at the

South Street Seaport Museum The South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, centered where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District, in Lower Manhattan. The Seaport is a designated historic district, ...

in southern

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

History

In 1921, the first radio beacon in the United States was installed in the ship's radio shack. This addition greatly assisted ships navigating the congested Ambrose Channel in dense fog. LV-87 would also be the last steam-powered vessel to hold the Ambrose Channel post. After the end of her Ambrose Channel assignment in 1932, LV-87 underwent a major refit, most significantly switching from steam propulsion to a direct drive Winton Diesel engine, as well as the removal of her anchor burton on her bow and a reorganization of her deck structures. Afterward, the ship was assigned to various posts which included being used as an

examination vessel An examination vessel is a vessel used to inspect ships and boats entering a port during wartime. An examination vessel would typically be responsible for examining and verifying all merchant ships and small craft entering or departing a port. T ...

during World War II. Although her final post was at the Scotland Station she is commonly known by the name of her most famous station, ''Ambrose''. LV-87 was decommissioned on March 4, 1966, from the

Coast Guard A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...

after 59 years of service. In 1968 she was given to the

in Lower Manhattan. Currently she is moored at Pier 16 on the East River and is used as a floating exhibit. In April 1989, the lightship was declared a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

. and

References

External links

U.S. Coast Guard Lightships & Those of the U.S. Lighthouse Service VESSEL DESIGNATION: LV 87/WAL 512
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ambrose (LV-87), United States Lightship National Historic Landmarks in Manhattan Lightships of the United States Ships on the National Register of Historic Places in Manhattan South Street Seaport 1907 ships Museum ships in New York (state) Ships built by New York Shipbuilding Corporation