Sankaty Head Lighthouse

Welcome to the spectacular grounds of the Sankaty Head Lighthouse. As you approach this towering, solitary structure, you are instantly struck by its striking visual presence. …

To understand the absolute necessity of building the Sankaty Head Lighthouse, we must first comprehend the immense dangers lurking just beneath the surface of the waters off this coast. During the eighteenth and nineteenth…

When the government finally committed to building the lighthouse, they made a decision that would secure Sankaty's place in technological history. At the time, most American lighthouses relied on outdated, highly inefficient…

As you examine the fifty three foot tall brick tower, it is fascinating to consider how the physical structure of the lighthouse has been forced to adapt to both changing technology and changing social customs. The solid brick…

Despite surviving the ferocious winds and the transition of maritime technology, the Sankaty Head Lighthouse eventually faced an existential threat that it could not simply weather. The very ground upon which it stood was…

Faced with the imminent destruction of their beloved beacon, the island community rallied in a spectacular display of organized preservation. In the fall of two thousand and five, the Sconset Trust, a local land preservation…

Following the monumental success of the relocation, the day to day relationship between the lighthouse and the community entered a new and highly personal phase. While the United States Coast Guard continues to technically…

As our tour of the Sankaty Head Lighthouse concludes, take a final moment to gaze up at the stark red and white daymark against the sky. This tower is vastly more than a simple navigational warning. …