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 state of Minnesota, United States. It stands tall overlooking Agate Bay on Lake Superior, right in Two Harbors, Minnesota. Building the lighthouse started in 1891 and finished in 1892. Its light first shone on April 14, 1892.
The lighthouse was very important for ships entering Agate Bay. In the early 1900s, Two Harbors was a busy place for shipping iron ore from the Mesabi Range. The lighthouse helped guide these ships safely. Charles Lederle was the first lighthouse keeper. 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 to the tower. From the lake, the light shines from 78 feet (24 m) high. The tower itself is 12 feet (3.7 m) wide and square.
How it was Built
The walls of the tower are three bricks thick. Where the tower meets the house, the walls are even thicker, with five layers of bricks. This strong design was for the safety of the keeper's family. The Two Harbors Light looks very similar to the Round Island Light in Michigan.
Parts of the Lighthouse Station
The lighthouse area has six main buildings. These include the lighthouse tower with the keeper's living area attached. There is also a house for the assistant keeper. Other buildings are a fog signal building, an oil house, a skiff (small boat) house, and a garage.
The Lighthouse Lens and Light
When it was first built, the lighthouse used a special light called a fourth-order Fresnel lens. This type of lens is very good at making light shine far away.
Changes to the Light
In 1969, the Coast Guard removed the original Fresnel lens. They replaced it with a 24 inches (610 mm) DCB-224 aerobeacon. This new light is still used today. It can shine its light about 17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi) (nautical miles) across the water.
The original Fresnel lens was loaned to the National Museum of the Great Lakes. But in early 2015, the lens was brought back to Two Harbors. You can now see it on display in the dining room of the Keeper's Quarters.
On November 25, 2019, the DCB-224 aerobeacon stopped working. This made the lighthouse go dark for a while. In the summer of 2020, a temporary ML-300 LED flashing beacon was put in place. This light will be used until enough money is raised to fix the original beacon.
Visiting the Lighthouse Today
The Lake County Historical Society started offering tours of the lighthouse in 1988. They were given permission by the U.S. Coast Guard. In 1999, the Historical Society officially took ownership of the lighthouse. Since 2001, they have been in charge of keeping the light working. Even though it is still an active light, the Coast Guard no longer maintains it. It is now a private aid to navigation.
What You Can See on a Tour
Visitors can explore three of the lighthouse buildings:
- The Lighthouse Tower: This part has been fixed up and holds the rotating light.
- The Assistant Keeper's Building: This building looks like it did in the late 1800s. It has displays about shipwrecks on Lake Superior. You can also learn about how Agate Bay developed. There is a screen with historical information about the area.
- The Keeper's Quarters: This is the main house attached to the lighthouse. It has been restored to look like it did in the early 1900s. The Lake County Historical Society runs it as a bed and breakfast.
You can also see the pilothouse from an old ore boat called the Frontenac. It has an exhibit about its history and shipwrecks. The Two Harbors Light Station was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 19, 1984.
