History
United States
Name	LV-87
Operator	United States Coast Guard
Builder	New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden, New Jersey
Cost	$99,000.00 US
Completed	1907
Decommissioned	March 4, 1966
Refit	1932-1933
Nickname(s)	Ambrose
Fate	Donated on August 4, 1968, for use as floating exhibit at South Street Seaport, New York City.
General characteristics
Type	Lightship
Length	135 ft 5 in (41.28 m)
Beam	29 ft (8.8 m)
Draft	12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
Depth of hold	15 ft 4 in (4.67 m)
Installed power	As constructed : Onecompound steam reciprocating engine Bore: 16 in (410 mm) & 31 in (790 mm) Stroke: 24 in (610 mm) 325 IHP Two 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) diameter by 16 ft 4 in (4.98 m) long boilers After 1932-1933 refit: Repowered with aWinton diesel engine 300 HP
Propulsion	As constructed: 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m) diameter propeller After 1932-1933 refit: 5 ft (1.5 m) diameter propeller installed
Speed	10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h)
Notes	Signal lights As constructed: Cluster of 3 oil lens lanterns on each masthead 1908 through 1922 Converted multiple times fromincandescent lights toarc lamps. From 1922 onward two 375mm lens incandescent lanterns of 15,000cp were used.
Ambrose (LV 87)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Show map of New York City Show map of New York Show map of the United States
Location	Pier 16, East River,Manhattan,New York City,New York
Coordinates	40°42′17.44″N74°0′8.88″W / 40.7048444°N 74.0024667°W /40.7048444; -74.0024667
NRHP reference No.	84002758[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	7 September 1984[1]
Designated NHL	11 April 1989[2]

TheUnited States Lightship LV-87/WAL-512 (Ambrose) is a riveted steellightship built in 1907 and served at theAmbrose Channel 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 amuseum ship at theSouth Street Seaport Museum inLower Manhattan,New York City.

In 1921, the firstradio 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 anexamination vessel 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 theCoast Guard after 59 years of service. In 1968 she was given to theSouth Street Seaport Museum in Lower Manhattan. Currently she is moored at Pier 16 on the East River and is used as a floating exhibit.^[3] In April 1989, the lightship was declared aNational Historic Landmark.^[2][4]

Media related toAmbrose (ship, 1907) at Wikimedia Commons

• U.S. Coast Guard Lightships & Those of the U.S. Lighthouse Service VESSEL DESIGNATION: LV 87/WAL 512

• 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 City
• Ships built by New York Shipbuilding Corporation

• Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas
• Articles using NRISref without a reference number
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Coordinates on Wikidata
• Commons category link is on Wikidata