But, after we left Voyageurs, we headed for the western shore of Lake Superior and made an unplanned, but worthwhile, stop at Split Rock Light Station, the first real lighthouse we saw.
Split Rock Light |
According to the Minnesota Historical Society, which manages the site, a single gale on Nov. 28, 1905, damaged almost a third of the more than 100 steel freighters operating on Lake Superior, most of them uninsured. Two foundered near Two Harbors on the rocky coastline that had been called "the most dangerous piece of water in the world."
Following the disaster, a steamship company delegation petitioned Congress for a lighthouse and fog signal. For reasons that aren't clear, the delegation referred to the area, which was named Stony Point, as Split Rock. The name stuck.
Looking down |
More than a century before Split Rock Station was built, U.S. lighthouses had begun revolving their lights - then composed of wick-based oil lamps - to produce regular flashing signals.
Three views |
Close up |
The Split Rock lens floated in 250 pounds of liquid mercury, making it possible to rotate the 1,500-pound apparatus fast enough so that only two lens panels were needed. Fewer panels means less light diffusion, resulting in a substantial increase in brightness. Oil vapor lamps, a relatively new innovation in 1910, were installed at Split Rock, making the light one of the most powerful of the more than 400 lighthouses and beacons on the Great Lakes. Officially visible for 22 miles, the light could be seen by fishermen near Grand Marais, more than 60 miles away.
The Station closed in 1969 when modern navigational equipment made it obsolete.
The State of Minnesota obtained the 25-acre Split Rock Lighthouse Historic Site 1971 and transferred responsibility for it to the Minnesota Historical Society in 1976.
Details |
It costs $10 ($8 for seniors; $6 for children) to visit the Station, including touring the lighthouse ...
... the Light Keeper's house ...
A cozy cottage |
Down to the lake |
... to see the lighthouse from below ...
Looking up |
After we left Split Rock, we drove through Duluth -- the pretty-Victorian-house part and the ugly-empty-building-homeless-people part. Two different worlds.
We had discovered the day before that the Tall Ships were in Duluth and we tried to go to the festival. But, parking was very limited, we were pulling the trailer and it was raining, so we moved on.
Very distant Tall Ship |
Baltimore Clippers served as privateers during the War of 1812. Chasseur, one of the most successful, singlehandedly blockaded the British Isles and captured or sank 17 vessels before returning home to be greeted by cheering crowds and dubbed the "Pride of Baltimore."
Since 1988, Pride of Baltimore II has sailed 250,000 nautical miles -- equivalent to almost 12 times around the world -- and visited more than 200 ports in 40 countries, promoting historical maritime education and fostering economic development and tourism.
Trip date: August 12-September 5, 2016
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