After the Minnesota Iron Company began shipping iron ore from the Vermilion Range through the Two Harbors ore docks in 1884, this port far surpassed Duluth in importance. The increased traffic of ore boats, combined with commercial fishing, made navigation extremely hazardous. Many ships went aground or were dashed to bits along the foggy, rocky shoreline of Lake Superior. The Two Harbors Light Station, completed in 1892, alleviated the danger.
It was equipped with a Fourth Order Fresnel Lens, consisting of glass prisms surrounding a light source. The central prism magnified the light, while those above and below refracted it into a single beam. The volatility of kerosene, which originally powered the light source, dictated the design of the keeper's house. The two-story main house is constructed of walls two bricks thick. The walls of the adjoining light tower are three bricks thick, making the wall between five bricks thick. This gave added protection should the kerosene explode.
The fog signal house includes displays depicting the North Shore fishing industry. Also on site is the assistant keeper's house and the restored pilot house from the Frontenac, one of many iron ore boats claimed by treacherous waves on Lake Superior.
National Register of Historic Places
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