Circa 1838, a new 10 parabolic lens was installed.
At the same time, the lantern was lowered 14 feet (4m) to get the light under the fog.
It was also in 1838 that Lt.
Edward W. Carpenter did a structural inspection of the Gay Head Light.
He noted that the light made one complete revolution every four minutes; that the light and premises were in good order, and that the light was visible for more than twenty miles.
In 1838, the lighting room was lowered again the same year by 3 feet (1m) during a major rebuilding of the lantern and deck by a New Bedford blacksmith.
Another significant improvement between 1799 and 1838 was the installation of a Benjamin Franklin pointed tip lightning rod on top of the lighthouse.
Benjamin Franklin appreciated the value of lighthouses to society and is quoted as saying, "Lighthouses are more helpful than churches."
Lightning strikes to the Gay Head Light are physically documented by the cracked cast iron lightning rod ball displayed on the grounds of today's Martha's Vineyard Museum.
The changes to the Gay Head Light; its buildings and grounds, and the presence of the lightning rod are clearly illustrated in the 1839 woodcut print shown lower right.

Harmful lightning strikes to America's early lighthouses were not uncommon.
Considering that the tall lighthouses were usually the only structures of any height for several miles, it made them susceptible to multiple lightning strikes storm after storm.
In June 1766, the New York Mercury reported:
"The 26th Instant, the Lighthouse at Sandy Hook was struck by Lightning, and twenty panes of the Glass Lanthorn broke to pieces; the chimney and Porch belonging to the kitchen was broken down, and some people that were in the House received a little Hurt, but are since recovered. ‘
Tis said the Gust was attended with a heavy shower of Hail."
The Sandy Hook Lighthouse was built in 1764, was octagonal in shape, and was made of local rubble stone.

In 1842, the octagonal wooden lighthouse constructed in 1799 at Gay Head was reported by the civil engineer, I.W.P. Lewis, as being "decayed in several places," and that both the lighthouse and its nearby Keeper's house needed replacement.
In his capacity as a civil engineer, Lewis submitted reports on several lighthouses along the Northeast Coast, including Brown's Head Light; Portland Head Lighthouse; Owls Head Lighthouse and others.
Lewis' wrote his noteworthy report about the Gay Head Lighthouse after also inspecting the Cape Pogue, Tarpaulin Cove lighthouses.
All three wooden lights "...were found in a state of partial or complete ruin and all require rebuilding."
Lewis wrote his report about the Gay Head Light after visiting it in the fall of 1842.
In his report, Lewis wrote that the Gay Head Keeper's house was "shaken like a reed" during storms.
However, in spite of Lewis' negative report, replacement of the Gay Head Light and Keeper's dwelling was postponed.
In 1844, the octagonal wooden light tower was moved back 75 feet from the eroding clay cliffs by John Mayhew of Edgartown at a cost of $386.87.
When Lewis was traveling and inspecting lighthouses in 1842, America had 246 lighthouses and 30 lightships.

The early 1850s was a time of transition from the old lighthouse oversight regime under Auditor Stephen Pleasonton, to the new Congressional appointed Light House Board.
During this transition phase, there were two simultaneous agendas to improve the light at Gay Head.
One agenda was by the long-reigning (30 years) and outgoing head of the lighthouse oversight service, Stephen Pleasonton.
The other agenda was by the new, Congressional appointed, Light House Board.

In 1852 America had a total of 332 lighthouses and 42 lightships.
It was in 1852 that Congress transferred oversight of the nation's lighthouses from Pleasonton to the professional Light House Board.
However, in 1852, due to previous efforts undertaken during Pleasonton's reign – the Congressional Light House appropriation bill approved $13,000 to refit and improve the existing 1799 wooden Gay Head Light.

With the $13,000 already approved for
Circa 1838, a new 10 parabolic lens was installed. At the same time, the lantern was lowered 14 feet (4m) to get the light under the fog. It was also in 1838 that Lt. Edward W. Carpenter did a structural inspection of the Gay Head Light. He noted that the light made one complete revolution every four minutes; that the light and premises were in good order, and that the light was visible for more than twenty miles. In 1838, the lighting room was lowered again the same year by 3 feet (1m) during a major rebuilding of the lantern and deck by a New Bedford blacksmith. Another significant improvement between 1799 and 1838 was the installation of a Benjamin Franklin pointed tip lightning rod on top of the lighthouse. Benjamin Franklin appreciated the value of lighthouses to society and is quoted as saying, "Lighthouses are more helpful than churches." Lightning strikes to the Gay Head Light are physically documented by the cracked cast iron lightning rod ball displayed on the grounds of today's Martha's Vineyard Museum. The changes to the Gay Head Light; its buildings and grounds, and the presence of the lightning rod are clearly illustrated in the 1839 woodcut print shown lower right.
Harmful lightning strikes to America's early lighthouses were not uncommon. Considering that the tall lighthouses were usually the only structures of any height for several miles, it made them susceptible to multiple lightning strikes storm after storm. In June 1766, the New York Mercury reported:
"The 26th Instant, the Lighthouse at Sandy Hook was struck by Lightning, and twenty panes of the Glass Lanthorn broke to pieces; the chimney and Porch belonging to the kitchen was broken down, and some people that were in the House received a little Hurt, but are since recovered. ‘Tis said the Gust was attended with a heavy shower of Hail." The Sandy Hook Lighthouse was built in 1764, was octagonal in shape, and was made of local rubble stone.
In 1842, the octagonal wooden lighthouse constructed in 1799 at Gay Head was reported by the civil engineer, I.W.P. Lewis, as being "decayed in several places," and that both the lighthouse and its nearby Keeper's house needed replacement. In his capacity as a civil engineer, Lewis submitted reports on several lighthouses along the Northeast Coast, including Brown's Head Light; Portland Head Lighthouse; Owls Head Lighthouse and others. Lewis' wrote his noteworthy report about the Gay Head Lighthouse after also inspecting the Cape Pogue, Tarpaulin Cove lighthouses. All three wooden lights "...were found in a state of partial or complete ruin and all require rebuilding." Lewis wrote his report about the Gay Head Light after visiting it in the fall of 1842. In his report, Lewis wrote that the Gay Head Keeper's house was "shaken like a reed" during storms. However, in spite of Lewis' negative report, replacement of the Gay Head Light and Keeper's dwelling was postponed. In 1844, the octagonal wooden light tower was moved back 75 feet from the eroding clay cliffs by John Mayhew of Edgartown at a cost of $386.87. When Lewis was traveling and inspecting lighthouses in 1842, America had 246 lighthouses and 30 lightships.
The early 1850s was a time of transition from the old lighthouse oversight regime under Auditor Stephen Pleasonton, to the new Congressional appointed Light House Board. During this transition phase, there were two simultaneous agendas to improve the light at Gay Head. One agenda was by the long-reigning (30 years) and outgoing head of the lighthouse oversight service, Stephen Pleasonton. The other agenda was by the new, Congressional appointed, Light House Board. 
In 1852 America had a total of 332 lighthouses and 42 lightships. It was in 1852 that Congress transferred oversight of the nation's lighthouses from Pleasonton to the professional Light House Board. However, in 1852, due to previous efforts undertaken during Pleasonton's reign – the Congressional Light House appropriation bill approved $13,000 to refit and improve the existing 1799 wooden Gay Head Light.
With the $13,000 already approved for 
Gay Head Light