Sandy Neck Lighthouse
Barnstable, Massachusetts: Built in 1826
Location:
Marking the entrance to Barnstable Harbor. Private Residence.
Latitude: 41° 43' 22" N
Longitude: 70° 16' 51" W
Historic Stories:
The first lighthouse was built in 1826 to accommodate the increasing whaling and fishing industries coming into Barnstable.
| Originally made of wood, it was replaced in 1857 in the current brick structure. | 
Early Sandy Neck Light |
The light was visible for nearly nine miles. A keeper's house was built in the Victorian style in 1880.
By 1887, the tower started to display a nasty crack and had to be reinforced with two iron hoops and six vertical staves which still can be observed today.
In 1931 the lighthouse was decommissioned with the changing of the shoreline and decrease in the shipping industry in the area. Its lens was moved to a steel skeleton tower 200 feet closer to the tip of Sandy Neck, which was later discontinued in 1952.
The lantern was removed from the lighthouse and the property was sold into private hands.
In 2007, the owner, with the help of the American Lighthouse Foundation, was able to fund and install a new lantern (photo below shown before installation). The lighthouse was relit as a private aid to navigation used today.
Places to Visit Nearby:
Located on the northern shoreline of Cape Cod, the area of Barnstable provides a more quiet community with its public beaches, art galleries and community events. The whole route along scenic 6A is a sharp contrast compared to the busy southern shoreline.
This area contains many trails for hiking maintained and coordinated by the Barnstable Land Trust. The lighthouse is part of the Sandy Neck Conservation, located in Sandwich, Cape Cod's oldest town, which provides a 6-mile hike to get to the lighthouse.
| The beach at Barnstable Harbor provides a distant view of the lighthouse. |  |
On Route 6A, in nearby Dennis, visit the Cape Cod Museum of Art.
Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises pass by the lighthouse on their cruises out of Barnstable's Harbor. Cape Cod Bay Charters also passes by the lighthouse on its fishing charters.
Directions for a Distant View:
- From Boston, take Route 3 South to US Route 6A over the Sagamore Bridge.
- Take Route 6A from the Sagamore Bridge eastward until you come to Barnstable Harbor.
- At the set of lights in Barnstable Harbor, take a left on Millway Road to the end at Millway Marina.
- A distant view of the light can be made from the beach. Best views are still by boat.
You can also access the light by foot if you are into hiking.
- From 6A heading eastward, look for Sandy Neck Road on your left (before Barnstable Harbor).
- Follow the road to the end, park, and take a 6 mile hike through the Sandy Neck Conservation to the lighthouse.
Contact Info:
Sandy Neck Lighthouse Restoration Committee
c/o Cape Cod Chapter
P.O. Box 147
Barnstable, MA 02630
Local Boat Tours
Boat cruises below offer many types of cruises, they may pass by Sandy Neck Light during narrated wildlife and historic tours, charters, fishing tours and other types of excursions from Barnstable Harbor.
Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises
P.O. Box 254
Barnstable, MA 02630
Phone: (508) 362-6088 or (800) 287-0374
Cape Cod Bay Charters
49 Acre Hill Road
Barnstable, MA 02630
Phone: (508) 362-1249
E-mail: ccbcharters@aol.com
My book, Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, provides special human interest stories from each of these 92 lighthouses, along with plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions and tours you can explore. Look inside! |
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