Rock of Ages Lighthouse

Rock of Ages Lighthouse is an active, unmanned beacon on a bare reef about five miles northwest of Isle Royale's northwest tip, just outside Washington Harbor. Its white, tapered tower and dark round base stand exposed against Lake Superior. It began operating in 1908.

The lighthouse is not open to the public, so treat it as a boat-viewed landmark, not a landing or walk-up stop. It is only a worthwhile stop if your boat route passes the reef; do not assume it is a scheduled stop or landing. There are no visitor services on the reef. If you get the view, include the narrow rock and some open water with the tower to show how far it stands from shore.

Rock of Ages Reef lay along an important shipping route between Port Arthur, now Thunder Bay, and Duluth. The Cumberland wrecked there in 1877 and the Henry Chisholm in 1898. After the Lighthouse Board recommended a light in 1896, the station began operating in 1908.

A steel foundation crib filled with concrete anchors the lighthouse to the narrow rock. The ten-level tower held work and living spaces for four keepers, with boats and fuel on its deck. The Coast Guard withdrew its last crew after the 1977 shipping season, and the light was automated in 1978.

The second-order Fresnel lens was first lit in 1910 and rotated on a mercury float to send white flashes across the lake. It and its cast-iron pedestal were removed in 1985 and are displayed at Windigo Visitor Center. A smaller solar-powered acrylic optic now carries the light.