This station is one of the original nine stations erected on Cape Cod
in 1872, and was manned in the winter of 1873. The station is one and
five-eighths miles east of Race Point, from which it derives its name.
Its approximate position as obtained from the latest coast survey
charts is latitude north 42° 04′ 45″, longitude west 70° 13′ 15″. From
Provincetown the station is about four miles distant, and easy of
access over a highway across the sand dunes. The coast at Race Point is
very treacherous, and has been the scene of many wrecks. The tides run
past the point with great velocity, and vessels are frequently swept to
destruction on the sunken rips which lie along the coast there.
[Illustration: RACE POINT STATION.]
The surfmen of this station go over a patrol westward of two and
one-half miles, and eastward about one and three-quarters miles. On the
eastward patrol the surfmen meet and exchange checks with the surfmen
from Peaked Hill Bars Station; on the westward patrol the surfmen use
a time clock, as “Race Run” so called, an inlet through the beach,
prevents them from meeting the surfmen from Wood End Station. The
station is supplied with three surf-boats of the Race Point model, two
beach carts, with guns, breeches-buoys, etc., and a life-car.
Ninety-two vessels, of all descriptions, have met with disaster near
this station since Capt. “Sam” Fisher has been keeper. On these
vessels there were over six hundred seafarers, including two women. Of
this number of persons taken ashore, thirty-seven were landed by the
breeches-buoy, the surf-boat being employed to bring the others that
were saved to the shore.
“Nigger,” the horse which is on duty at the Race Point Station, is
a noble and intelligent animal. When storms are sweeping the coast,
“Nigger” shows a restlessness that is not dispelled until fair weather
again prevails. As the surfmen return from their patrol at night,
“Nigger” always gives evidence in some way or another that he is awake
and ready for duty. “Nigger” takes kindly to the work of dragging the
heavy beach apparatus and surf-boat through the sands, and responds to
the call “ship ashore” as lively as the surfmen. “Nigger” is the pet of
all the surfmen, and seems to enjoy having visitors call to see him.
[Illustration: NIGGER, THE HORSE KEPT AT RACE POINT STATION.]