Mayor Andrew Broaddus
Encyclopedia
The Mayor Andrew Broaddus is a lifesaving station built by the United States Life-Saving Service
located in Louisville, Kentucky
, off the corner of River Road and Fourth Street. It is named in honor of Andrew Broaddus
, a former mayor of Louisville. Its historic purpose was to protect travelers of the Ohio River
from the Falls of the Ohio, with rescue crews for those that fell victim to the rapids. Louisville was the first place where a lifesaving station was placed in western waters. The first lifestation in Louisville was in 1881, with Broaddus as the second.
, the most dangerous place on the entire Ohio River
. Skilled rivermen, who had served here as volunteers, became personnel of the Service. Built at the Howard Shipyards at Jeffersonville, Indiana
, the station boat was the first on America’s Western Rivers system. It served until being replaced in 1902 by another wooden hull boat. The second vessel was replaced in 1929 with the present steel-hulled boat with its distinctive watchtower. In addition to its primary role in providing aid and rescue to river travelers, LSS#10 also served notably during World War II
, when Coast Guard
Reservists ran patrols from the station to guard against possible acts of German
saboteurs.
Earlier, Station personnel also assisted in the enforcement of Prohibition
by transporting Federal agents to remote islands in the Ohio River to search for illicit alcohol operations.
From 1881 to 1972, the Life Saving Service, and later the Coast Guard
, patrolled the Falls area, rescuing rivermen and passengers, saving stranded boast and cargoes, recovering victims of drowning, and performing heroic action during Ohio River
floods. Station records reveal that between 1881 and 1915, 7000 lives and property worth $6 million were saved by the crews of LSS#10.
. It has a steel
hull
, and is 98 feet (29.9 m) long, a beam of 38 feet (11.6 m), a Hold Depth of 5 feet (1.5 m), and has 623 Net Tons. It has two decks, and a 15 feet (4.6 m) lookout tower. It has much of its original interior fabric, and is considered in good condition.
It is the only floating lifestation and the last inland waterway lifestation for the United States Coast Guard
still in existence, and one of the few reminders that the U.S. Life-Saving Service ever existed.
It currently serves as an adjunct for the Belle of Louisville
, which is also a National Historic Landmark. It provides the offices for the Belle.
In the Spring of 2007, the Broaddus was damaged by a commercial ship, damaging its hull. In November 2007 it was towed to Jeffboat
for repairs, the successor to the shipyards that built the earlier Life Saving Station #10. A museum within the boat is planned for the future.
United States Life-Saving Service
The United States Life-Saving Service was a United States government agency that grew out of private and local humanitarian efforts to save the lives of shipwrecked mariners and passengers...
located in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, off the corner of River Road and Fourth Street. It is named in honor of Andrew Broaddus
Andrew Broaddus
Andrew Broaddus was Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky from December 1953 to December 1957. He was born and died in Louisville...
, a former mayor of Louisville. Its historic purpose was to protect travelers of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
from the Falls of the Ohio, with rescue crews for those that fell victim to the rapids. Louisville was the first place where a lifesaving station was placed in western waters. The first lifestation in Louisville was in 1881, with Broaddus as the second.
Predecessor
On October 22, 1881, Life Saving Station#10 was placed in service at the Falls of the Ohio at Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, the most dangerous place on the entire Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. Skilled rivermen, who had served here as volunteers, became personnel of the Service. Built at the Howard Shipyards at Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville is a city in Clark County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. Locally, the city is often referred to by the abbreviated name Jeff. It is directly across the Ohio River to the north of Louisville, Kentucky along I-65. The population was 44,953 at the 2010 census...
, the station boat was the first on America’s Western Rivers system. It served until being replaced in 1902 by another wooden hull boat. The second vessel was replaced in 1929 with the present steel-hulled boat with its distinctive watchtower. In addition to its primary role in providing aid and rescue to river travelers, LSS#10 also served notably during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
Reservists ran patrols from the station to guard against possible acts of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
saboteurs.
Earlier, Station personnel also assisted in the enforcement of Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
by transporting Federal agents to remote islands in the Ohio River to search for illicit alcohol operations.
From 1881 to 1972, the Life Saving Service, and later the Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
, patrolled the Falls area, rescuing rivermen and passengers, saving stranded boast and cargoes, recovering victims of drowning, and performing heroic action during Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
floods. Station records reveal that between 1881 and 1915, 7000 lives and property worth $6 million were saved by the crews of LSS#10.
History
The Broaddus was built in 1929 in Dubuque, IowaDubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
. It has a steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
, and is 98 feet (29.9 m) long, a beam of 38 feet (11.6 m), a Hold Depth of 5 feet (1.5 m), and has 623 Net Tons. It has two decks, and a 15 feet (4.6 m) lookout tower. It has much of its original interior fabric, and is considered in good condition.
It is the only floating lifestation and the last inland waterway lifestation for the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
still in existence, and one of the few reminders that the U.S. Life-Saving Service ever existed.
It currently serves as an adjunct for the Belle of Louisville
Belle of Louisville
The Belle of Louisville is a steamboat owned and operated by the city of Louisville, Kentucky and moored at its downtown wharf next to the Riverfront Plaza/Belvedere during its annual operational period...
, which is also a National Historic Landmark. It provides the offices for the Belle.
In the Spring of 2007, the Broaddus was damaged by a commercial ship, damaging its hull. In November 2007 it was towed to Jeffboat
Jeffboat
Jeffboat is the largest inland shipbuilder in the United States, located in Jeffersonville, Indiana. It is the second-largest builder of barges...
for repairs, the successor to the shipyards that built the earlier Life Saving Station #10. A museum within the boat is planned for the future.