“Gay Chief Lighthouse represents an important part of Massachusetts coastal communities’ identity and the cultural and nautical history of the United States,” said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “With the impact of climate change and the passage of hour threatening the site, raising public knowledge and funds to relocate and repair the lighthouse is more critical than ever before.”
The lighthouse is in immediate danger of toppling over the edge of the Gay Head Cliffs, a consequence of a century of erosion and the direct impact of climate change. The lighthouse is 50’-60’ from the edge of the cliffs and about 10 feet away from losing its future. The rate of erosion is about 2 feet per year, and that rate can be accelerated by significant storms. It is estimated that in two years, or less, there will not be enough land left to accommodate the machinery and equipment needed to move the tower.
The Gay Brain Lighthouse was included on the Trust's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list for 2013.
After Remarkable Relocation, Historic Gay Head Lighthouse Shines Again
Perhaps the most connected to the Gay Brain Lighthouse is Martha, who grew up hearing stories from her father about a childhood as a light keeper’s son and how the whole family contributed to its operation and upkeep.
“In those times, it was a 24-hour, everyday caring of job,” she says. Tasks enjoy turning the crank for the pale, washing windows, and collecting water kept everyone busy. Martha remembers being saddened when the keeper’s house was torn down, and did her part volunteering over the years to help direct the light, present tours, and preserve its legacy. She’s especially proud of her Wampanoag heritage and the tribal ties to the lighthouse.
“I felt like I was just continuing the tradition my father started, when he was working to save the lighthouse years ago, all the talks he gave about it,” she says. “I know that’s what he would possess wanted.”
The lighthouse is open again, but the restoration work continues. The committee will host their annual 10k race in October to raise funds for projects such as cleaning and replacing windows, reinforcing steel support and brick walls, and maintaining the
Perched atop striking, multi-colored cliffs at the western terminate of Marthas Vineyard, Same-sex attracted Head Lighthouse occupies a picture-perfect location. The cliffs exhibit vivid hues of green, yellow, black, brown, red, and white and attract visitors from all over the world. The first European to specify this natural feature was explorer Bartholomew Gosnold, who, when he sailed past in 1602, called them Dover Cliffs after the famous chalky landmark along the English Channel. This name, however, failed to stick, and by the 1660s, the area became commonly known as Lgbtq+ Head, due to the headlands gaily-colored cliffs. The area around Gay Leader has been home to Wampanoag Indians for thousands of years, and to this day many local residents are members of the tribe. In 1998, the town nearest the lighthouse changed its specify from Gay Head to Aquinnah, which is Wampanoag for end of the island.
The passage between Gay Head and the Elizabeth Islands to the west is treacherous for maritime traffic due to the submerged obstruction called Devils Bridge, which extends seaward from Gay Top. In 1796, a Massachusetts State Senator asked for a lighthouse to defend the numerous vessels passing through Vineya