Digging Around the Lighthouse to Prepare for Move
The base of the lighthouse before the excavation.
The base of the lighthouse before the excavation.
Preparing new location for the lighthouse.
Preparing new location for the lighthouse.
Excavating around the exposed foundation.
Excavating around the exposed foundation.
Bricks from foundation of old lightkeeper's house.
Bricks from foundation of old lightkeeper's house.
Sun rises on Gay Head Light in last days at old location.
Sun rises on Gay Head Light in last days at old location.
Lighthouse keeper Richard Skidmore.
Lighthouse keeper Richard Skidmore.
Surprise discovery of large pieces of granite.
Surprise discovery of large pieces of granite.
New foundation, 129 feet away, is ready.
New foundation, 129 feet away, is ready.
Propped up on steel beams.
Propped up on steel beams.
Len Butler and the lighthouse he has helped to save.
Len Butler and the lighthouse he has helped to save.
Work continues in the fog.
Work continues in the fog.
Major excavation required to relocate lighthouse.
Major excavation required to relocate lighthouse.
After more than two and a half years of planning, work began this spring on the relocation of the Gay Head Light, which must be moved 129 feet from its current location; erosion at the nearby Aquinnah Cliffs endangered the 1856 lighthouse. Four companies worked on preparing the structure for the move.