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I’m enamored with lighthouses—their colorful histories, scenic locales, maritime significance, and the aura of mystery they exude as they stand isolated, alone against a landscape of turbulent seas. With their stone and brick exteriors, they represent resilience, strength, and steadfastness, made to endure harsh conditions. These beacons of light are eternal symbols of vigilance, operating day and night, guiding sailors during their journeys.
Facts and Location
On a recent trip to Minnesota, I made a detour to stop at Split Rock Lighthouse along my route. Located on the North Shore of Lake Superior, Split Rock is a famed landmark in the state and receives thousands of visitors annually. It sits atop a dramatic 130-foot cliff and measures 54 feet high.
A Storied History
This lighthouse aided ships across the stormy waters of Lake Superior for half a century. Many were freighters owned by the U.S. Steel Corporation, carrying iron ore shipments. In 1905, however, a single storm damaged 29 ships, one-third of which were the uninsured property of the U.S. Steel fleet.
At the time, a delegation headed by the president of the U.S. Steel Company went to D.C. to lobby for a light station and successfully got Congress to appropriate the money.
The U.S. Lighthouse Service began construction, which first involved building a steam-powered hoist and derrick on the cliffside to lift supplies off the supply boats on the lake. In all, 310 tons of materials were hoisted to the site without a single major accident – an impressive accomplishment.
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During the thirteen-month process, the workers stayed in canvas tents on the open cliff top, exposed to the elements, with only a break during the worst of the winter months.
Construction was completed in 1910, and the light was first lit on July 31st of that year. It is said that this marvel of engineering stood as a “monument to the will of the men who built it as much as an aid to navigation.”
Tourists Arrive En Masse
For nearly fifteen years, the lighthouse could only be accessed by water. Later, when the Lake Superior International Highway was created, connecting Duluth with Canada, it became more easily reachable. The roadway brought tourists, and by 1938, Split Rock became the most visited lighthouse in the U.S.
New maritime technology, however, caused many lighthouses to close, including Split Rock and the station was shut down in 1969. Today, lighthouses in the U.S. are typically either automated or have been decommissioned.
Thankfully, the State of Minnesota stepped in and obtained Split Rock in 1971. Then, the Minnesota Historical Society was transferred administrative responsibility for the site. The lighthouse was eventually restored to its early 1920s appearance and designated a National Historic Landmark in 2011.
Begin at the Visitor Center
As you tour this site, you will discover much, including the lighthouse, fog signal building, oil house, and fully restored keeper’s home. Start at the visitor center with the introductory film, which uses original footage and first-person accounts from newspapers, storm survivors, lighthouse builders, and keepers to explore the history of the place. Then, peruse the exhibits, which focus on the significance of the shipping industry on Lake Superior and the number of shipwrecks that prompted the lighthouse to be built.
Learn About the SS Edmund Fitgerald
Although not in Minnesota waters, the story of the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald is presented. The Edmund Fitzgerald was the largest ship on the Great Lakes when it first launched in 1958, and it also has the distinction of being the largest ship to have sunk in these waters.
A ferocious storm caused it to go down on Nov. 10, 1975, taking its entire crew of 29 to a watery grave. Each year, on Nov. 10th, the beacon is lit at Split Rock to honor the crew lost at sea. You might recall that singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot memorialized the event with his hit song, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”
Artifacts Abound
There’s an array of interesting artifacts on display in the center. One of the highlights is the ship’s wheel from the Madeira, which sank in 1905. The ship currently rests at the bottom of Lake Superior, but its wheel was brought up by a dive club in 1961.
You’ll also see the actual uniform hat worn by Split Rock’s first headkeeper, Orren “Pete” Young. This traditional keeper’s hat has the emblem of the U.S. Lighthouse Service on it, and Young would have worn it anytime he had to be in uniform.
The rest of a keeper’s dress included a double-breasted coat with gilt buttons on each side and a vest and pants of navy-blue cloth. On each coat lapel, an embroidered gold loop with the letter K was added for the keeper. The first assistant keepers had the figure 1 embroidered, while the second had the figure 2.
In the exhibit area, a full-scale replica of the third-order Fresnel lens that sits atop the lighthouse takes center stage. Made in Paris, it has 252 prisms and weighs 650 pounds.
Another exhibit is devoted to the stories of the Indigenous people who have called the place where the lighthouse stands their home. “Minnesota” comes from the Dakota language, Mni Sota Makoce, meaning “where the waters reflect the sky.”
Ascend the Lighthouse
Then, head out to the piece de resistance, the lighthouse itself. Enjoy the view, take your pictures, and step inside. Climb the 32-step spiral staircase to the lantern room, which houses the original Fresnel lens.
It still turns with its original clockwork mechanism. Though the lighthouse was decommissioned, the lantern is still in operational condition. As mentioned above, it is lit each year during the Edmund Fitzgerald Beacon Lighting Ceremony. Its range is 22 miles, and it flashes once every ten seconds.
Check Out the Fog Signal Building
Then, walk across the way to the Fog Signal Building. You’ll learn that the fog signal or foghorn was used when visibility was poor due to fog, smoke, or snow. It would go off every eighteen seconds for a two-second blast, which could be heard within a five-mile radius. At 120 decibels, it was, as you can imagine, painfully loud to the human ear.
Visit the Oil House
Nearby, you can also check out the oil house, which was initially used to store flammables, including the kerosene for the beacon lamp and the gas for the fog signal. If interested, you can go look at the hoist and Derrick ruins site, although all that is left are depressions and foundation fragments. When a storm destroyed the hoist engine, a much safer tramway replaced it. There are also remnants of the tramway supports at the tram house and tramway ruins site.
The Life of a Keeper
Pay a visit to the keeper’s home, restored to its 1920s condition when the light station could only be reached by water. Initially, keepers would have minimal visits with their families, as it was dangerous to access this location.
Families lived elsewhere during the school year and went to the lighthouse during summer vacation. Once the highway was completed, however, keepers and their families could live together year-round. Stroll through the rooms and note the photos of the keepers and their families over the years, along with items of clothing, toys, and more.
Though we might imagine a romantic life in one of these outposts, it was nowhere near an idyll existence. The keepers and their assistants worked hard to keep the light going 24-7. Throughout the night, they had to watch in four-hour shifts, and during the day, they monitored the weather.
And because lighthouses were far from civilization and supplies, the keepers had to be adept at repairing and operating the equipment independently. They also had to do all the bookkeeping and, later, serve as tour guides.
Split Rock Lighthouse | Minnesota Historical Society (mnhs.org)
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