Two Harbors Light facts for kids
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| Location | Two Harbors, Minnesota |
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| Coordinates | 47°0′50.33″N 91°39′48.52″W / 47.0139806°N 91.6634778°W |
| Year first constructed | 1892 |
| Year first lit | 1892 |
| Automated | 1980 |
| Foundation | Stone |
| Construction | Red brick |
| Tower shape | Square tower on dwelling, octagonal lantern |
| Markings / pattern | Red dome and ventilator on white lantern |
| Height | 49 feet (15 m) |
| Focal height | 78 feet (24 m) |
| Original lens | Fourth order Fresnel lens (original), DCB-224 (replaced temporarily) ML-300 flashing beacon (current) |
| Range | 17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi) |
| Characteristic | Flashing white, 20 sec |
The Two Harbors Light is the oldest working lighthouse in the US state of Minnesota. It stands tall overlooking Lake Superior's Agate Bay in Two Harbors, Minnesota. This important lighthouse was built to help ships find their way safely into Agate Bay Harbor. In the early 1900s, Two Harbors was a very busy place for shipping iron ore from the Mesabi Range.
Construction of the lighthouse started in 1891. It was finished quickly, and its light shone for the first time on April 14, 1892. The first person in charge of the light was Charles Lederle. Usually, three keepers worked there to make sure the light was always on.
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About the Lighthouse Building
The lighthouse tower is about 49.6-foot (15.1 m) tall. It is made of strong red bricks. The main keeper's house is attached right to the tower. From the lake, the top of the light is about 78 feet (24 m) high.
The tower itself is a square shape, about 12 feet (3.7 m) on each side. Its walls are very thick, made of three layers of bricks. Where the tower meets the house, the walls are even thicker, with five layers of bricks. This was built to keep the keeper's family safe and warm.
Buildings at the Station
The Two Harbors Light Station has six main buildings. These include the lighthouse tower with the keeper's living area attached. There is also a separate house for the assistant keeper. Other buildings are a fog signal building, an oil house, a small boat house, and a garage.
The lighthouse was designed to be very similar to the Round Island Light in Michigan.
How the Light Works
When it was first built, the lighthouse used a special type of lens called a fourth-order Fresnel lens. This lens was very good at making the light bright and visible far away.
In 1969, the Coast Guard changed the lens. They put in a 24 inches (610 mm) DCB-224 aerobeacon. This is a modern type of light that is still used today. The light from the Two Harbors Light can be seen up to 17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi) away.
The Original Lens
The original Fresnel lens was loaned to the National Museum of the Great Lakes for many years. But in 2015, it was brought back home to Two Harbors. Now, you can see this historic lens on display in the dining room of the Keeper's Quarters.
In November 2019, the main aerobeacon stopped working, and the lighthouse went dark for a short time. In the summer of 2020, a temporary ML-300 LED light was put in. This light will stay until enough money is raised to fix the original beacon.
Visiting the Lighthouse
The Lake County Historical Society started giving tours of the lighthouse in 1988. They were allowed to do this by the U.S. Coast Guard. In 1999, the Historical Society became the official owner of the lighthouse. Since 2001, they have been in charge of keeping the light running. Even though the lighthouse is still active, the Coast Guard no longer takes care of it. It is now a private aid to navigation.
What You Can See
Visitors can explore three of the buildings at the lighthouse station:
- The Lighthouse Tower: This part has been fixed up and still holds the light that flashes.
- The Assistant Keeper's Building: This building has been restored to look like it did in the late 1800s. It has exhibits about shipwrecks on Lake Superior and how Agate Bay grew. There's also a screen with historical information about the area.
- The Keeper's Quarters: This is the main living area of the lighthouse. It has been restored to look like it did in the early 1900s. The Lake County Historical Society even runs it as a bed and breakfast where people can stay overnight!
You can also see the pilothouse from an old ore boat called the Frontenac. It has an exhibit about its history and other shipwrecks. The Two Harbors Light Station was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 19, 1984.
