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Sankaty, Massachusetts

Harbour Lights Limited Edition #250

Nantucket Island once teemed with whaling ships and bustled with commerce as numerous ships navigated the nearby waters. But this island posed a great threat to mariners unfamiliar with its hidden perils. After sailors discovered the David South Shoal, the Lighthouse Board commissioned a sentinel to stand atop the high cliffs, marking the dangerous spot.

Established in 1850, Sankaty Head Light became a model of architectural strength. The Lighthouse Board judged it as one of the best and most solidly built lighthouses in the country. In fact, the keepers made only minor repairs to this well-built sentinel over its years of service.

The cylindrical tower, with its red bad and black lantern room, held a 2^nd- order Fresnel lens. The distinctive beacon flashed every one-and-a-half and three minutes from a focal plane height of 158 feet. Local mariners were so impressed with the penetrating light that they sometimes called Sankaty the "Rocket Light" or "Blazing Star." The large, efficient lamp burned very little oil, the equivalent of a smaller harbor light's-worth, yet was one of the brightest beacons of its time.

The first keeper to tend this sentinel took his post with no specific knowledge of lighthouses. But he did have 25 years experience as a merchant sea captain arid truly understood the importance of his duties. Armed with only a brief, hastily written page of instructions from the lantern installer and a little ingenuity, he set about keeping the flame illuminated with the help of his two assistants.

The original keeper's quarters held only one family, so the two assistants had to journey 7 miles, during all weather conditions, to stand their 4-hour post each night and to complete their daily chores. Workers completed larger quarters five years later, much to the relief of the keeper who lived in constant fear that his assistants could not come in time if an emergency were to occur.

As Nantucket Island slowly transitioned from heavy commerce to thriving tourism, the lighthouse became a popular attraction, drawing many sightseers clamoring to view the impressive lens and breathtaking view from the top of the tower. The lightkeepers even widened the small opening to the lantern room so that women with hoop skirts could pass through.

As time and technology progressed, electricity replaced oil, a revolving beacon glowed in place of the Fresnel lens and a ranch style house supplanted the larger keeper dwelling. Erosion tore away at the sandy bluffs facing the ocean and residents began to worry about the future of this beloved beacon. In 1994, the Coast Guard decommissioned Sankaty Head Light and removed all the buildings after a powerful storm advanced the ocean to within a mere 110 feet.

As preservationist rallied to move the lighthouse back from the threatening waters, Historic Massachusetts, Inc. added Sankaty to the list of 10 Most Endangered Historic Properties. A special group named SOS, Save Our Sankaty, formed to raise money and public interest. If you would like more information, please contact: Save Our Sankaty, P.O. Box 814, Siaconset, MA 02564.

Our sculpture depicts Sankaty lighthouse as it appeared during an earlier era of the sentinel's history. The larger keepers dwelling is home to three families. A tricycle pulls double-duty as it pulls a child's wagon. The porch table acts as a pottery bench while one of the inhabitants prepares to plant flowers. A lone starfish awaits discovery on the sandy beach below.

Click on each image to view a larger size in a new window.

Photography by Paul L. Brady © Harbour Lights  December 13, 2001