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![[photo]](buildings/san1.jpg "[photo]")
Sankaty Head Light
Photo by Jeremy D'Entremont, www.lighthouse.cc |
Established in 1850, Sankaty Head Light derived its name from the Indian word, "sankoty," meaning highland. The 70-foot tall, brick and granite, cylindrical tower rests on a 90-foot high bluff on eastern Nantucket Island. Sankaty Head Light was one of the first lighthouses in the United States to receive a Fresnel lens. It was soon recognized as New England's most powerful aid to navigation. Electrified in 1933, the original second-order Fresnel lens was subsequently removed from the lantern and replaced with a modern optic. The Nantucket Whaling Museum houses the original lens.
![[photo]](buildings/san2.jpg "[photo]")
Historic photo of Sankaty Head Light
Photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard |
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Sankaty Head Light was automated in 1965, yet U.S. Coast Guard personnel continued living in the one-and-one-half-story, brick, duplex keeper's dwelling until 1992. The U.S. Coast Guard removed the lantern from atop the tower in 1970 because it was no longer necessary for the modern optic's operation. They received numerous complaints and installed an aluminum lantern somewhat similar in appearance to the old one. In 1990, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers inspected Sankaty Head Light and concluded that the structure was in danger of falling over the edge of the eroding bluff within 10 years. Concerned islanders responded by starting a fundraising campaign to move the tower. Fundraising efforts continue and have provided for successful erosion control. Sankaty Head Light continues to operate as an active aid to navigation and the tower remains in its original location.
Sankaty Head Light Station is located on the east side of Nantucket Island, situated on a high bluff at the end of Baxter Rd., just north of the town of Siaconset. Sankaty Head Light is owned by the U.S. Coast Guard and managed by 'Sconset Trust, Inc. The tower is closed to the public, but the grounds are open year round. For further information visit the 'Sconset Trust, Inc. website or call 508-228-9917.
For information on visiting the Nantucket Whaling Museum and viewing the Sankaty Fresnel lens, refer to the Nantucket Historical Association's website.
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