List of lighthouses in Minnesota explained

This is a list of all lighthouses in the U.S. state of Minnesota as identified by the United States Coast Guard. There are five active lights in the state; one light is inactive but has been converted to a museum, and one is in ruins.

The first lighthouse in the state was erected in 1858 and the last in 1922 (ignoring automated towers erected later); the oldest active light is the Two Harbors Light.

If not otherwise noted, focal height and coordinates are taken from the United States Coast Guard Light List, while location and dates of activation, automation, and deactivation are taken from the United States Coast Guard Historical information site for lighthouses.

NameImageLocationCoordinatesYear first litAutomatedYear deactivatedCurrent LensFocal Height
Duluth North Pier LightDuluth46.781°N -92.0881°W1910UnknownActiveLED046 46feet
Duluth South Breakwater
Inner Light
Duluth46.7788°N -92.0918°W1889 (Former)
1901 (Current)
1976ActiveLED068 68feet
Duluth South Breakwater
Outer Light
Duluth46.7801°N -92.0875°W1874 (Former)
1901 (Current)
1976ActiveLED044 44feet
Grand Marais LightGrand Marais47.7452°N -90.3379°W1885 (Former)
1922 (Current)
1937ActiveLED048 48feet
Minnesota Point LightDuluth46.71°N -92.0259°W[1] 1858Never1913
(Now in ruins)
NoneUnknown
Split Rock LighthouseBeaver Bay Township47.1999°N -91.3671°W[2] 1910Never1969
(Now a museum)
Third-order Fresnel168 168feet
Two Harbors LightTwo Harbors47.014°N -91.6635°W18921980Active
(Also a museum)
DCB-224078 78feet
Two Harbors Breakwater LightTwo Harbors47.0106°N -91.6695°W1906[3] UnknownActive
(Inactive: 1947–1950)
LED033 33.5feet

Notes and References

  1. Web site: calculated using Google Maps and 1952 chart of Duluth–Superior Harbors . 2012-04-25 . 2016-03-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304071827/http://historicalcharts.noaa.gov/historicals/preview/image/LC00966_06_1952_LS . dead .
  2. Web site: Split Rock Lighthouse, Minnesota. LighthouseFriends.
  3. Web site: Two Harbors Breakwater, MN. Lighthouse Friends. September 20, 2017.