Do Nantucket's Lighthouses Need An Intervention?

Do two of the island’s iconic lighthouses need an intervention?

The Nantucket Historical Commission seems to think so. The state of the Brant Point Lighthouse and the Great Point Lighthouse has the commission so concerned that it is exploring how it could convince the United States Coast Guard to transfer ownership of the two landmarks to the town or a private group.

That is just one of a several potential strategies the commission discussed on Friday to better preserve and care for the two lighthouses, both of which have issues regarding maintenance and upkeep that are not easily solved.

The Brant Point Lighthouse is in a state of decay, with broken shingles, peeling paint, rust, graffiti, mold and moss growing over the historic landmark. But as we reported last month, the U.S. Coast Guard, which has jurisdiction over the lighthouse, is primarily concerned with whether the light is functioning or not, rather than what it called “cosmetic concerns.”

The commission lamented the shape the lighthouse is in, noting it’s high-profile location as the first thing most people see when arriving on Nantucket.

The good news? Holly Backus, the town of Nantucket’s preservation planner, told the commission that she had been in touch with the Coast Guard regarding the state of the lighthouse and the potential for it to be “decommissioned” and turned over to another entity.

The bad news: the Coast Guard representative told Backus it could take as long as 10 to 12 years for that process to play out.

While Backus continues her dialogue with the Coast Guard, the Historical Commission is debating other actions it could take to shorten that timeframe by putting pressure on the federal agency. Commissioners discussed a letter writing campaign to Coast Guard officials, using connections to directly lobby the head of Homeland Security, which oversees the Coast Guard, as well as partnering with the Nantucket Select Board to spearhead the effort.

Meanwhile, the Great Point Lighthouse has another set of issues. That structure, which was built in 1986 following the destruction of the original Great Point Lighthouse in a storm, is also owned and maintained by the Coast Guard. A 2015 structural survey of the lighthouse by International Chimney noted structural concerns, including a series of cracks indicating that the masonry on the exterior is separating from the concrete core, along with mildew and green mold growing on the lighthouse’s surfaces. The report noted that “large portions of the veneer could come down” due to moisture permeation and freeze thaw jacking. 

In the case of Great Point, the Historical Commission is considering the idea of petitioning the state and federal government to have the lighthouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation could provide for additional funding through grants to address the structural issues. The challenge with that strategy, however, is that the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places has a 50-year age guideline to consider new nominations - a threshold Great Point Lighthouse does not meet - although there are exceptions for significance and cultural associations.

The first step to lobby for the National Register of Historic Places designation would be with the Massachusetts Historical Commission, and then the National Park Service

During last Friday’s discussion, the commission pointed to the island’s other lighthouse - the Sankaty Head Lighthouse - as a model for what could be possible with structures at Brant Point and Great Point. Sankaty Head Lighthouse did complete the decommissioning process and is now owned by the ‘Sconset Trust, which purchased it in 2007 and is responsible for its maintenance, while the Coast Guard continues to control and maintain its navigational light. The Sconset Trust not only raised the money to move the lighthouse back from the Sconset Bluff, it pays for its cleaning and new paint jobs, among other general upkeep.