Split Rock Lighthouse Offers a Free Open House This Weekend

Split Rock Lighthouse has stood tall on the cliffs of Minnesota's North Shore since it's construction in 1910, providing one of the most iconic images in our great state. This Saturday June 14th, you can visit the historic destination and surrounding state park for free as a part of the 2014 Split Rock Lighthouse Open House. From the Minnesota Historical Society website:

"Tour the light station, keepers house and fog signal building. Stop by the Visitor Center to see exhibits on the North Shore's tourism and commercial fishing industries, and view a film about the early shipping industry on Lake Superior."

Here are a few other facts about the lighthouse:

? It stands 54 feet high, and is erected atop a 130-foot cliff.

? Constructed in 1910, the lighthouse originally cost $75,000 to build.

? The functional light was retired in 1969, and the Split Rock Lighthouse was made an official National Historic Landmark in 2011.

** Google maps tells me it's about a three hour drive to Split Rock... On your way up there this Saturday, make a stop in Duluth to see if it truly is better than Minneapolis, as some are saying. Then head northeast on historic Highway 61 until you reach the fabled lighthouse located between Two Harbors and Silver Bay. Out the door by 8:30 in the morning. Brunch in Duluth. Lighthouse by early afternoon. Home in time for bed. (Or find a spot to stay the night along Superior's North Shore and make it a leisurely Sunday drive home the next day.) The Split Rock Lighthouse will be open from 10 am to 6 pm for this Saturday's Open House. And again, admission is free. Check out their website for more details — and check out the Minnesota Historical Society's website for fun and educational events all Summer.   Photos via: Wikipedia — geodesic