Nantucket Historical Commission backs letter asking Dark Sky International to allow globes on Main Street fixtures

The Nantucket Historical Commission voted May 16 to draft a letter to Dark Sky International asking that the group permit exterior glass globes on a short section of Main Street while the town converts to dark-sky street lighting.

The decision followed a presentation from Spring City Electric on dark‑sky fixture design, control systems and visual options intended to preserve downtown Nantucket’s historic appearance while meeting the island’s dark‑sky bylaw. Commissioners discussed several decorative internal elements — including a “hurricane” chimney and a faux gas mantle — and weighed durability and maintenance implications.

"You have an opportunity to actually be a leader in the dark sky movement," said Jane Slade of Spring City, who described design and heat‑dissipation choices Spring City uses to keep LED boards long‑lasting. The company showed pilot installations already in use on Nantucket and demonstrated controls that let staff dim fixtures or create timed schedules.

The commission heard that…