An old brick tower stands on Minnesota Point which is a great sand bar near Duluth that separates Superior Bay from Lake Superior. The tower is the remains of the Minnesota Point Lighthouse. Built in 1858, it was the first lighthouse in the North Star State and the starting point where Lake Superior was first surveyed by Henry W. Bayfield of the British Navy in 1823.
The light was lit for the last time in 1885 when new pierhead lights were added to aid ships in navigating the channel. Keepers lived in the dwelling until 1893 when a new house was built on the Wisconsin side. The old lighthouse has been abandoned for decades and all that remains is a crumbling tower surrounded by a chain link fence.
Hikers can see the old tower by taking the path that runs along the edge of the Sky Harbor Regional Airport (KDYT). It took me about 45 minutes (one way) to hike to the tower. The land was flat but the last one third was loose sand and made for a more arduous hike than I was expecting. It was sad to see the old tower sitting alone and mostly forgotten considering its historical significance.
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