WATCHING THE MOVE
'Sconset Trust deals with curious public
BY PETER B. BRACE INDEPENDENT WRITER
With the imminent move of Sankaty Head Light, and the expected media coverage of the historic relocation, security preparations are already brewing.

To accommodate the island, regional and national news media and documentary coverage of the move, while keeping the lighthouse secure and rubberneckers safe, the 'Sconset Trust, International Chimney and Expert House Movers are thinking lighthouse first, gawkers second.

'Sconset Trust President Bob Felch said that the Trust and its movers will set up a public viewing spot near the existing location of the lighthouse and try to stop vehicle traffic other than residents well before the end of Baxter Road.

"We're going to enhance the restriction to public access around the new location," said Felch. "We're going to put up fencing on Baxter Road west. The gathering place will be at the end of Baxter Road. We are planning to seek approval to cut off vehicular traffic from Bayberry Road and Baxter Road. There will be no access to the bluff, no access through the fencing [because] having any kind of public

access to the site triggers the Americans with Disabilities

Act."

During the actual move - around Oct. 1 through the middle of October - Felch said the 'Sconset Trust will hire security guards to prevent unauthorized entry at all access points. And, he added, the Sankaty Head Golf Club may have to close the fifth hole to golfers during the move.

Those who can go beyond the orange job site fencing that will extend onto the fairways and get up close to the lighthouse during its move are news media and documentary filmmakers, said Felch.

Windfall Films, LTD of London, England is doing a documentary for the British Broadcasting Company and U.S. cable television, including National Geographic.

The Independent's own Rob Benchley is the 'Sconset Trust's official photographer for the move and will be working with Kris Kinsley. Vaughan Machado will photograph the move as a document for the Sankaty Head Golf Club.

And, local documentary filmmaker John Stanton did a promotional film for the 'Sconset Trust to raise money for the move.

Having raised around $3,650,000 of the $4 million needed to pay for the move and site restoration, the 'Sconset Trust is now reaching out to the island business community and islanders in general to help it raise the last $350,000 with its Keeper fundraising campaign.

Money also came from a portion of the sales of Cisco Brewers' Sankaty Light beer. Paintings and drawings of the lighthouse move that were done by Nantucket Elementary School students as an awareness raising campaign will hang in the Nantucket

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