In a letter dated Sept. 12, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell agreed to transfer ownership of the Gay Head Light from the federal government to the town of Aquinnah. The transfer is a critical milestone in the effort to restore and move the historic lighthouse, which is threatened by the eroding cliff face. The town will now be responsible for maintaining the structure as a historic landmark and a functioning aid to navigation for mariners.
Secretary Jewell said she made the decision based on a recommendation from the National Park Service, which reviewed an extensive application submitted by the town under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. The federal General Services Administration and the Coast Guard have also reviewed and approved the application, according to Aquinnah town administrator Adam Wilson.
While there are some loose ends, a lot of paperwork, and reviews by local and state boards remaining, the approval by Secretary Jewell means the transfer of ownership is all but formalized.
“I applaud the commitment of the Town of Aquinnah to the preservation of our Nation’s maritime heritage in accepting stewardship of the Gay Head Light Station,” Secretary Jewell said in her letter addressed to Jim Newman, chairman of the board of selectmen.
The Save the Gay Head Light Committee has raised about $1.5 million toward the estimated cost of $3 million needed to move the structure to a more stable location, about 150 feet to the east/southeast of where it is now.
The project timeline calls for the moving contractor, International Chimney Corp., to begin site preparation next month, begin the intricate move in November, and finish it in April.