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moving sankaty
Matyiko and his crew are ahead of schedule and plan to take a few days off this week before returning to the island for final moving preparations, 'Sconset Trust President Bob Felch said yesterday. After lifting the lighthouse nearly three feet out of the ground on Sept. 18 and 19, and fully expecting at least five feet of the original brick foundation to separate from the lighthouse - so much so that its new foundation makes up the anticipated difference - Expert House Movers had to jackhammer off an additional 18 inches of brick foundation while the lighthouse was jacked up on steel support beams this week. Felch said the plan is to build two-and-a-half feet of new brick pedestal off the new foundation to
After adjustments over the weekend, the lighthouse is now ready to be pushed down the roller beams. "The bottom set of beams known as rocker beams were put in place on Saturday," said Felch. "The move is still set for next week starting on Oct. 1. The only possible delay of 24 hours might occur because of work needed for preparing the move path." The rocker beams are part of the beam system that allows the lighthouse to move level along the ground before it eventually drops a total of seven feet onto its new foundation. Watching all of the action will be tough for the public unless you happen to be part of the crew, but Felch said getting closer is a possibility for anyone who wants to volunteer to manage crowds on the periphery of the project area. The 'Sconset Trust is still looking for volunteers to work with the Nantucket Police Department and the Department of Public Works to keep pedestrian and vehicular traffic flowing. The volunteers will work two-hour shifts between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 1 through Oct. 8. Volunteers will be trained to answer questions about the move and about the history of the lighthouse.
Although there are legions of lighthouse buffs and aficionados across the country, Felch could not put a number as to how many onlookers to expect.
The 'Sconset Trust is cordoning off the southern section of the meadow between the northern end of Baxter Road and the edge of the bluff as a public viewing area. Chain-link fence will keep viewers away from the edge of the bluff and contained away from the actual job site. Felch said the entire move
will be seen easily from this area. I
Isherwood • Building cost in 1850: $10,330 • Number of steps inside: 62 • 1888: Year that the lighthouse tower was raised 10 feet and a new lantern installed • Charles Wood Vanderhoop: AWampanoag Indian who took the keeper job in 1919 • 1933: The year the light was electrified • 1965: Lighthouse is automated • 390 feet: Distance to the northwest Sankaty is being moved • 130 feet: Incremental distant Expert House Movers can move Sankaty before laying down another section of steel moving beams • Seven feet: Amount of elevation Sankaty is losing at its new site • Moving speed: 62 inches every 10 minutes
• 10 days or less: Time estimated to move Sankaty by Expert House Movers President Jerri Matyiko • Distance from the edge of the bluff in 1850: 250 feet • Distance from the edge of the bluff in 1892: 175 feet • Distance from the edge of the bluff in 1933: 160 feet • Distance from the edge of the bluff now: 76 feet • $4 million: Cost to move Sankaty Head Lighthouse • 1991: Save Our Sankaty movement born • Light strength: Up to 40 miles • 10 inches: Height of bricks to be added to Sankaty to accommodate two extra steps discovered during pre-move excavation Lighthouse weight: 450 tons Lighthouse nicknames: Blazing Star and Rocket Light - Compiled from Independent archives, the 'Sconset Trust and the Nantucket Historical Association THE KEEPERS OF SANKATY LIGHTHOUSE 1849 - Joseph Allen 1849-1860: Alexander D. Bunker 1860-1861: Samuel Swain 1861-1867: Henry Winslow 1867-1873: Uriah C. Clark 1873-1882: George F. Folger 1882-1891: C.C. Hamblin 1891-1894: Ethan Allen 1894-1919: Joseph G. Remsen 1919-1920: Charles W. Vanderhoop 1920-1943: Eugene N. Larsen 1943-1944: B. Anderson 1944: Aechford V. Haskins ASSISTANT KEEPERS 1855-1861: Henry Winslow 1861-1867: U.C. Clark 1867: George T. Coggersall 1867-1873: George F. Folger 1868-1872: Benjamin C. Sayer 1872-1873: Charles B. Swain 1873-1876: Franklin B. Murphy 1873-1874: Charles B. Swain 1876-1897: John M. Lamb 1877-1978: Simeon L. Lewis 1878-1880: William H. Gibbs 1880: Benjamin F. Myer 1880-1882: Calvin C. Hamblin 1882: Benjamin F. Brown 1909-1912: George H. Purdy 1912-1919: Charles W. Vanderhoop 1913-1914: Earl D. Hill 1914-1920: Eugene N. Larsen 1919-1920: C.A. Ellis 1920-1925: F.R. Macy 1925-1933: James E. Dolby If you would like to watch Sankaty Head Lighthouse inch along steel I-beams toward its new foundation, the 'Sconset Trust is looking for volunteers to help with crowd control, along with imparting the mechanics of the move and the history of the 157-year-old lighthouse to onlookers. Call 'Sconset Trust Executive Director Erika Mooney at 228-9917. If you missed the last three issues of lighthouse move coverage, check out our archives at www.nantucketindependent. com. Also check out www.sconsettrust.org for Rob Benchley's complete photo essay on the move. |
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