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High above the colorful clay cliffs of Aquinnah, the Gay Head Lighthouse guards the western tip of Martha's Vineyard, and it is one of the most beautiful sights on the island.

The red-brick tower was built in 1856 and shows alternating white and red flashes. It warns mariners away from Devil's Bridge, the rocky ledge where the steamer City of Columbus was wrecked in 1884, one of New England's worst maritime disasters. In 2015 the whole lighthouse was moved back from the eroding cliff edge to save it.

Alfred LaBanca's watercolor captures the lighthouse on its bluff above Vineyard Sound. Visit at sunset and you will see why this view is so loved. A treasured gift for anyone who summers on the Vineyard.

Every print is reproduced from Alfred LaBanca's original watercolor, part of a collection of more than 200 lighthouse paintings. Choose notecards or a matted or framed print, with tax, shipping and handling included.

From the Artist's Logbook

Built in 1856, this very popular lighthouse shows an alternating white and red light every 15 seconds and can be seen for twenty miles. She stands atop the bluffs at 170 feet above sea level.

Sailing in from Rhode Island Sound, this light is a beautiful sight, situated high above the cliffs. She guards the most western point of Martha’s Vineyard and warns mariners to beware of Devil’s Bridge, a most dangerous ledge that reaches out for unfortunate sailors.

But, as hard as this lady tries to guide mariners safely into Vineyard Sound, there are still shipwrecks. A really bad wreck took place on a cold January morning in 1884, when the City of Columbus, a passenger steamer, ran aground on Devil’s Bridge. One hundred people drowned in twenty minutes. Lighthouse keeper Horace Pease and some Gay Head Indians managed to save some people, but this wreck is still one of New England’s worst marine disasters.

During the summer, this light is open to visitors on the weekends, one hour before sunset and a half-hour after sunset.

The sunsets are absolutely magnificent!

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Gay Head Lighthouse?
On the Aquinnah cliffs at the western end of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

Can you visit the Gay Head Lighthouse?
Yes. It is open to visitors in season, and the sunsets from the cliffs are famous.

Why was the Gay Head Lighthouse moved?
Erosion was bringing the cliff edge too close, so in 2015 the 400-ton tower was moved about 130 feet inland.