Notes:
(1) The fifth Light built in Massachusetts and the thirteenth Lighthouse established in America to mark the entrance to Nantucket Sound by guiding navigation between Great Point on Nantucket Island and Monomoy Island* south of Chatham, Cape Cod.

      In 1770, a representative, appointed by Nantucket selectmen, petitioned the Massachusetts General Court for a Lighthouse on Great Point to aid navigation through the turbulent waters between Great Point and Monomoy Island called Point Rip.  Nantucket’s petition was tabled and postponed due to the Revolutionary War.

      On February 5, 1784, the General Court of Massachusetts approved a lighthouse to mark the entrance to the busiest waters of the Atlantic Coast and a wooden Lighthouse was erected by the end of the year.  During the 1800s, wind powered shipping saved several days by sailing the protected waters of Nantucket Sound and Vineyard Sound.  Ships entering Nantucket Sound from Great Point would increase speed by riding the tides and currents through the Sounds of Cape Cod.

      Great Point Lighthouse was a symbol of the expanding prosperous Whaling industry (from 1746 to 1849**) and the Whaling Port of Nantucket (from 1746 to 1830). Ironically, another Lighthouse, Sankaty Head Light, built in 1850 on Nantucket marked the decline of the American Whaling industry.

      The American Whaling Industry began on Nantucket Island as early as 1690.  Sperm Oil, discovered by a Nantucket whaler in 1712, was the illuminant of Lighthouse Lamps for about 140 years.  Great Point Lighthouse used 1,600 to 1,800 gallons of top-grade spermaceti oil annually.

      The Lighthouse and land on Great Point (formerly called Sandy Point), county of Nantucket was ceded to the federal government on June 10, 1790 according to the act of August 7, 1789.

      The first Lighthouse Keepers either walked or traveled by horse seven miles to the wooden tower before a Keeper’s house was built on site.  Food and supplies were transported by boat from Brant Point. In 1812, Keeper Jonathan Coffin received hardship pay by the Secretary of the Treasury, Albert Gallatin until Keeper’s house was constructed.

      In 1816, the first Lighthouse was destroyed by fire and Congress appropriated $7,500 “for rebuilding the lighthouse at Nantucket” on March 3, 1817 (see Note 2).


      I.W.P. Lewis, Civil Engineer to the U.S. Light-house Survey, noted the importance of Great Point Light during his inspection in 1842.  He discovered the reflectors were worn down and the Lantern was corroded.  In 1857, the Lighthouse was refitted with a Third-order Fresnel Lens and the Tower was lined with brick to support the additional weight of the lens.  The improvements did not prevent shipwrecks near the lighthouse because mariners were unable to distinguish between the Fixed Lights at Cross Rip Lightship and Great Point Light.

      Forty-three shipwrecks occurred near Great Point Light between 1863 and 1890.  Five vessels collided with the Cross Rip Lightship, LV5, between 1874 and 1890.  The confusion between both Lights was solved in 1889 by placing a red panel in the lantern room at Great Point Light and the Characteristic was changed to Fixed White with a Fixed Red sector between East 5/8 South and Southeast by East 1/2 East to mark Cross Rip and Tuckernuck Shoals.

      During the 1950s, the Lighthouse became automated and Keeper’s house was destroyed by a suspicious fire in 1966.  Coastal erosion around Great Point threatened to destroy Great Point Light.  Nantucket residents petitioned the Coast Guard to relocate the Lighthouse further inland.  Their request was denied and a plan to construct an artificial reef around Great Point was not implemented in time.

      On March 29, 1984, the sea undermined the Lighthouse reducing the Tower to rubble during a northeast storm.  The barrier beach, called The Galls, was breached during the storm, and Great Point became a temporary island.  In 1986, a replica Lighthouse was built to withstand high tides and 15-feet high waves (see Note 3).


*Monomoy Island was a peninsula connected to Chatham and over the years, storms and tides have eroded the peninsula to create Monomoy Island. The blizzard of 1978 split the island into two islands: North and South Monomoy Islands.

**The date of 1746 marks the year of deep sea Whaling and the date of 1849 marks the gradual decline of American Whaling (1846 was the peak year with a fleet of 735 whaling ships).

(2) The first Great Point Light was destroyed by a suspicious fire in 1816 and a 60-foot high Stone Tower was built in 1818 exhibiting a Fixed White Light illuminated by 14 Oil Lamps with 15" and 16" Reflectors, 70-feet above sea level.

(3) On March 29, 1984, a severe storm destroyed the stone Lighthouse and with the support of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Congress appropriated 2 million dollars for a new Lighthouse.  The new reinforced conical concrete Lighthouse Tower was constructed to withstand 20-foot high waves and 240-mph winds.  The new Lighthouse was First Lit on September 7, 1986 using modern solar-powered optics powered by eight solar panels.  The new Lighthouse was erected 300 yards west of the site of the old tower at a cost of 1.14 million dollars.


(4) The Lighthouse is best viewed by boat.
      For the private boater, visit Nantucket Moorings or call (508) 228-4472 to reserve a mooring.  Since sailing cruises are not regularly scheduled to pass by the Lighthouse, visit The Nantucket Concierge or call Carolyn Leigh Hills at (508) 228-8400 to check on a possible cruise passing the Lighthouse.

      For the adventurous Lighthouse seeker, Great Point Light can be reached by renting over-sand vehicles from Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge.  A Over-sand vehicle permit fee is required.

Directions:
      There are at two Ferries from Hyannis to Nantucket Island: Hy-Line Cruises and Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket Steamship Authority.  From Nantucket center, follow the signs “To Airport, Siasconset.”  At the Nantucket rotary, take Polpis Road for 6 miles.  Turn Left onto Wauwinet Road and drive to the end at the gatehouse.  The Lighthouse is seven miles across The Galls from Wauwinet.

      During the summer, a daily natural history tour of the Wildlife Refuge is provided by the Trustees of Reservations.  The 2.5-hours salt marsh tour is guided by a naturalist guide and includes climbing the Tower of Great Point Lighthouse for magnificent 360 degree views of the island.  For additional information or to reserve a tour, call (508) 228-6799 or visit the Trustees of Reservations.

      A excellent way to view all three Nantucket Lighthouses is a guided tour in an air-conditioned van that stops for photographs:

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