Minnesota Point Light

The Minnesota Point Light was a historic lighthouse on Minnesota Point in Duluth, Minnesota, United States, on the shores of Lake Superior. The first lighthouse built in the state, it is now a truncated ruined tower.HistoryThe first survey of Lake Superior was undertaken in 1823 by Henry W. Bayfield of the British Navy, who chose a spot on Minnesota Point as the zero point of his mapping. The point is the eastern end of a great sand bar separating Superior Bay from the lake; the passage to the east of the point (known as Superior Entry) was the original outlet of the Saint Louis River. The Saint Louis River, which rises in Minnesota, becomes the Saint Louis Bay, then flows into Superior Bay and exits into Lake Superior via the ship canals, at each end of Minnesota Point (Park Point). Both Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota, sprang up on opposite banks of the river and bay to take advantage of the excellent natural harbor; thus plans for a lighthouse to mark the entrance preceded Minnesota statehood, and appropriation was made by Congress in 1855. Due to delays from the cold winters, the light was not lit until spring of 1858.The spot chosen for the tower was Bayfield's zero point; a circular tower forty feet high and twelve feet in diameter was constructed of red brick brought in from Cleveland and coated with white mortar. This was topped with a wooden cupola, shingled except for windows on the lake side for the beacon. A -story dwelling of the same brick was built alongside the tower, topped with a slate roof. A fifth order Fresnel lens was installed, giving a fixed red indication.