Notes:
(1) The Second* Lighthouse established in America and Massachusetts. The Lighthouse was built at Brant Point to mark the entrance to Nantucket Harbor.

      Nantucket’s landlocked harbor was the first American Whaling Port.  In 1712, a Nantucket whaler, Christopher Hussey unexpectedly discovered a sperm whale in deep waters.  The oil was more profitable due to Sperm whales containing up to a ton of Spermaceti Oil which burned brighter and longer than any other fuel available at that time.  Sperm Oil became the fuel lighting Whale Oil Lamps in Lighthouses.

      On January 24, 1746, Sea captains, at a town meeting, announced the need for a Lighthouse to mark the narrow entrance to the harbor and to prevent shipwrecks on surrounding beaches.  The residents voted to fund the construction of wooden Lighthouse on Brant Point to be built before the next town meeting on April 28, 1746. The vote also stipulated that Ship owners maintain and keep the Light.

      Sperm whaling was the basis of the economic expansion in New England from 1746 to 1846.  From 1746 to 1775, Nantucket was “Whaling Capital of North America” producing 3,696 tons of whale oil annually with a Whaling Fleet of 125 ships (a increase from 6 deep sea whaling vessels in 1715).

      In 1758, the first wooden Lighthouse was destroyed by fire possibly caused by the Oil Lamps.  In the 18th and 19th centuries, Keeping whale oil Lamps lit was a hazardous exhaustive job that required lighting fires under the lamp on cold nights to keep the whale oil from congealing in addition to the nightly watch to assure the light was burning, the wick trimmed, and the signal timing was accurate.  During the day, Lightkeepers cleaned and polished the lenses and lamps as well as other rigorous duties.

      Surprisingly, the first six Lights were cheaply and quickly constructed navigational aids (see Note 2).  By 1774, sea captains from other ports objected to paying the lighthouse dues and Nantucket residents petitioned the General Court of Massachusetts for permission to levy tonnage dues.  All vessels over 15 tons were charged 6 shillings every year when they first entered or left Nantucket Harbor per court order beginning August 1, 1774.

      From 1790 to 1846, Nantucket was the “Whaling Capital of the World” due to the seamanship of Nantucket Whalers.  Thirty-five candle factories on the island prospered due to Nantucket’s spermaceti industry.  Brant Point Light was important to the success of Nantucket by aiding in the safe arrival of Whaling vessels.

      In 1795, the sixth Brant Point Light was ceded to the new Federal Government.  The 6th Lighthouse was condemned in 1825.  The seventh Brant Point Light was a Tower frame erected on the roof of the Keeper’s house and illuminated by 8 oil lamps with 12-inch reflectors.  Apparently the 7th Lighthouse was poorly tended in 1838 when Lieutenant Edward W. Carpender, U.S. Navy “found the lantern smoked, tube-glasses the same, lamps not trimmed, and reflectors looking as if weeks or months had elapsed since they had been cleaned, they were so black and spotted.”

      In 1838, a Keeper’s house and the Nantucket Cliffs Range Lights were built near Brant Point.  Both small white A-frame style Towers were located 300-feet apart.  The Rear Range Beacon exhibited a Fixed Red light and the Front Range Beacon exhibited a Fixed White light.  Both beacons were nicknamed the Cliffside “Bug Lights.”  Peleg Easton was appointed the first Lightkeeper of the Range Lights.


      In 1843, I.W.P. Lewis, Civil Engineer to the U.S. Light-house Survey, inspection report noted the poor condition of the 7th Brant Point Lighthouse with a leaky Tower and rusty lantern.  C. A. Ogden, Major, Topographical Engineers, recommended a new second-class lens Light as the eighth Lighthouse at Brant Point on November 9, 1853 after reporting “the frame of the light tower at Brant Point is so completely rotted as to require reconstruction with the least possible delay.”

      On August 3, 1854, Congress appropriated $15,000 to rebuild the lighthouse.  A 47-feet high brick Tower, cast-iron Lantern, and Keeper’s house was constructed.  The 8th Brant Point Lighthouse was First lit on December 10, 1856 exhibiting a Fixed Red light illuminated by a catadioptric apparatus of the fourth order and later, commonly called a Fourth-order Fresnel lens.


Later, a Rear Range Light known as Nantucket Beacon was built and aligned with the Brant Point Light to mark the safe channel into the harbor.  Nantucket Beacon was relocated and rebuilt several times as the channel shifted.


      In 1900, the 8th Brant Point Light became obsolete as the channel changed and a Beacon exhibiting a Fixed Red Light was erected 600-feet from the deactivated Lighthouse at the edge of Brant Point.

      In 1901, the tenth and present Brant Point Light was built and First Lit on January 31, 1901 exhibiting a Fixed Red light 26-feet above sea level, illuminated by a Fourth-order Fresnel lens and 13,000 candlepower electric lamp visible for 10 nautical miles.  A 1,000 pound Fog Bell was also installed.


      In 1908, two new Nantucket Harbor Range Lights were erected after the East Jetty and West Jetty were built to stabilize the safe shipping channel into the harbor.  The Front Range Light exhibits a Quick Flashing White light 35-feet above sea level and the Rear Range Light exhibits a Fixed White light 51-feet above sea level.


The Nantucket Cliffs Range Lights were no longer required and the deactivated beacons were sold as surplus to Frank and Lillian Gilbreth in 1921.  The 8th Brant Point Light without its Lantern Room is a part of the U.S. Coast Guard Station Brant Point.

      In a meeting on Feb 18, 2005 with the U.S. Coast Guard, Nantucket Town Selectmen, concerned about the sweeping release of Lighthouses, discussed the possibility of acquiring the renowned historic sentinel, Brant Point lighthouse.  Obtaining the Lighthouse by the town will benefit the community since Brant Point Light is a leading destination for many daily and seasonal visitors.  Also, the symbolic Lighthouse is viewed by 900,000 ferry passengers entering and leaving Nantucket Harbor every year.

      To reduce costs, the U.S. Coast Guard lists excess Lighthouses and related property every year.  If the Lighthouse is declared surplus property, the U.S. Coast Guard would continue to maintain the light as an aid to navigation and if the town is financially able to maintain the historic light station than The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000 would govern the transfer.

*In 1736, a 90-feet high octagonal wood Tower was erected on Tybee Island as a Daymark with no Lighting Apparatus installed.  During the colonial period, the Tybee Island Daymark was rebuilt twice due to beach erosion and storms destroying earlier Towers.  All three colonial Tybee Island Towers were unlighted Day-beacons for guiding navigation during the daylight hours only.  Any reference to the colonial Tybee Island Daymark Towers named as Tybee Island Lighthouse is misleading.

      In 1791, Tybee Island Daymark became Tybee Island Lighthouse when the Tower was ceded to the federal government.  The government revamped the 100-feet high brick Tower for the installation of Oil Lamps.

(2) Brant Point Light, New England’s lowest active Light, has been rebuilt more times than any other New England Lighthouse due to fires, storms, and shifting channels.  Brant Point Light has been rebuilt nine times:

1759: 2nd Lighthouse Tower 1774: 3rd Lighthouse Tower 1783: 4th Light, lantern hoisted between two spars* 1786: 5th Light, Oil Lamps suspended on Frame 1788: 6th Lighthouse Tower 1825: 7th Light Tower, 8 Oil Lamps 1856: 8th Light Tower, 4th-order Fresnel lens 1900: 9th Light, Beacon, Fixed Red Light 1901: 10th Light, 4th-order Fresnel lens

1758: 1st Light was destroyed by Fire 1774: 2nd destroyed by Wind Storm 1783: 3rd Light was destroyed by Fire 1786: 4th Light was too dim* 1788: 5th Light replaced by 6th Light 1825: 6th Light was condemned 1856: 7th Light was condemned 1900: 8th Light obsolete due to shifting channel

*The Light of the fourth Brant Point Light was so dim that mariners nicknamed Brant Point the “Bug Light” because it resembled a lightning bug when first sighted.

Brant Point Light also has been duplicated in two locations: the Channel Point Light replica and the Mystic Seaport Light replica in recognition of its rich maritime heritage.

(3) Directions:

      There are at two Ferries from Hyannis to Nantucket Island: Hy-Line Cruises and Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket Steamship Authority.  Brant Point Light can be seen from either Ferry approaching Nantucket Harbor.

      Brant Point Light is within walking distance from the Steamboat Wharf (Ferry slip), walk straight onto Broad Street of the quaint whaling town, turn right onto South Beach Street, and turn right onto Easton Street.  Walk past the old Brant Point Lighthouse and Coast Guard Station to Brant Point.  The grounds of the Lighthouse are open to the public and the Tower is closed to the public.

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