The Sankaty (pronounced sanc' ity) Head Lighthouse Station was established in 1850 on the bluffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on the south east shore of Nantucket Island. This original 70 foot tower on a cliff has a focal plane of 158 feet above sea level. Sankaty Head was the first lighthouse in Massachusetts to be equipped with a Fresnel Lens and also holds the distinction of being the first light station in the United States to be equipped with a Fresnel Lens as its original optic. The 2nd Order lens served until 1970 when the Coast Guard removed it and the lantern room to accommodate a large aerobeacon. The classical lens is now on display at the Nantucket Whaling Museum on Broad Street in Nantucket. The Coast Guard later replaced the large aerobeacon with a smaller beacon in an aluminum lantern room in response to the public pressure to return the light to its historic configuration.

The Sankaty Head Lighthouse is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and had been listed on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List of endangered lighthouses. The 100 foot high cliffs that the station was built on have been eroding into the ocean, threatening to topple the lighthouse. In 1994, the keeper's houses and outbuildings were removed as they were also endangered by the erosion and now only the tower remains. On October 11, 2007 the tower was relocated farther inland and saved from being lost to erosion. The Sconset Trust, the non profit conservation group with stewardship of the light organized the move to safety on property owned by the Sankaty Head Golf Club. Now located near the 15th green, the lighthouse has been restored to its appearance before the small entry shed was attached. The original entry has been restored complete with new doors. To view photos of the move and restoration or to donate towards the continuing preservation, please visit The 'Sconset Trust website.

Sankaty Head Lighthouse continues to be an active aid to navigation operated by the US Coast Guard. The lighthouse displays a white flash every seven and a half seconds from a rotating beacon and is visible for 24 nautical miles.

November 2007 Issue, Sankaty Lighthouse Move Saves Beacon From Toppling. "The historic Sankaty Lighthouse on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts has been saved from tumbling over the side of the steep bluffs that had eroded within 75 feet of the tower. Please go to the Lighthouse Digest Magazine Archives for the full article. Lighthouse Digest magazine not only keeps the history of our lighthouses alive both in print and on line, but it is the best single source to keep current on all aspects of lighthouse preservation, news and events

The Sankaty Head Lighthouse is located on the south east shore of Nantucket Island in the Village of Siasconset (pronounced 'Sconset).The lighthouse grounds are open to the public but there are no public facilities.
Directions: Nantucket Island can be reached by air or ferry from Hyannis on Cape Cod. Renting a car, moped or bicycle can be arranged at numerous rental agencies in the Village of Nantucket within walking distance of the Hyannis Ferries. From Main Street in Nantucket, turn south east onto Orange Street. Continue straight onto Lower Orange Street and then turn left onto Milestone Road (eastbound). Follow Milestone Road almost 6 miles into the Village of Siasconset where it becomes Main Street. From Main Street turn left onto Shell Street (northbound) which becomes Sankaty Lane outside the village. Continue on Sankaty Lane 1 block to a right turn onto Baxter Road. Follow Baxter Road to the end where there is a small parking lot just outside the Lighthouse grounds.

The 'Sconset Trust is a non profit organization that maintains conservation land in and around the village of Siasconset on Nantucket Island and has now rescued the Sankaty Head Lighthouse from erosion. A photo gallery of the preparations, the actual move and the ongoing restoration is located on their website.

For more photographs and history of the Sankaty Head Lighthouse, you can visit the:

United States Coast Guard Historians' Official Web Site

New England Lighthouses - A Virtual Guide

Lighthouse Explorer Database