GRAND PORTAGE, Minn. — The Rock of Ages Lighthouse is one of the most remote structures on Lake Superior.
Considered the gatekeeper to Isle Royale National Park, it’s more than twenty miles from Minnesota’s shoreline.
It sits on a small cluster of rocks 50 x 200 feet and is empty most of the time. But lately, it has welcomed a group of volunteers working to revive it.
David Gerth is the Board Chair for Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society, a nonprofit formed to restore the Rock of Ages Lighthouse.
“I’ve always wanted something that’s lasting,” said Gerth. “Something that will be here beyond me.”
That adventure starts back in 1907 when construction began. Years before, engineers were prepping for the light house to be built
“It was a marvel of construction,” said preservation volunteer Jan Reyer. “You see this rock in the middle of the lake and how they built that structure on that little rock is amazing.”
They blasted the tiny island, created makeshift worker shelters, and boated supplies to and from it. After a 40-year effort, keepers finally called the lighthouse home in 1909 until 1978.
“The keepers would get here as soon as they could get through the ice during spring time in late December,” said Gerth. “So it was a really hard place to be.”
They logged in their accounts stories of isolation and bravery.
In 1932 the SS George M. Cox was heading across the lake on its maiden voyage from the World's Fair.
The ship was crossing the lake when dense fog came in and ultimately the ship crashed onto the reef.
“All 125 passengers were rescued by keepers at Rock of Ages, and they all spent the night at the lighthouse,” said Gerth. “All up and down on the spiral stairs and on the rocks.”
A rich history
Gerth was drawn to both the Rock of Ages and Isle Royale itself. A plethora of history lived on the islands.
According to the National Park Service, The Johns Hotel is the oldest surviving building representing the resort era on Isle Royale.
Tom Johns’ great grandparents built the hotel on what is now known as Barnum Island. They came to Isle Royale in the 1860s.
"They were hard working people,” said Johns. “They came over to this country because where they were, they couldn't get ahead.”
His great grandfather, John F. Johns, and his great grandmother, Catherine Bowen, started up the Johns Hotel in the 1890s.
Life there was harsh. Catherine and John stayed some winters to work on the hotel and raised a dozen kids. The hotel closed after about a decade, but six generations of the Johns have come back to their beginnings to visit.
“In 1968 it had deteriorated so much that we couldn't stay here anymore,” said Johns.
But finally, the National Park Service gave Tom the go-ahead to restore his family’s old hotel.
“It was to carry on family tradition,” said Johns. “We still want to do that, but we've allowed public access to the building. This is a museum.”
Johns has put in thousands of his own money and time into the museum, and accepts donations.
Just like all parts of Isle Royale, it’s hard to get to. The museum typically only sees three dozen visitors a summer.
Tom doesn’t exactly know if anyone else in the family will keep this tiny museum going. He can’t stand the thought of losing this piece of history.
“Hopefully, the grandchildren grow up and see where their grandparents came from,” said Johns.
Finding peace
The volunteers of the Rock of Ages Lighthouse Society often brush shoulders with Tom Johns on Barnum Island. Their base camp is there when they are not staying overnight in the lighthouse doing restoration work.
Gerth and his team has been consistently spending summers at the lighthouse since 2017 with the blessing from the National Park Service.
Much of the support comes from donations and supporters like Terri Breitzmann, who typically visits the park yearly. But its been six summers since she's seen these shores.
“I just have never been here without him before,” she said, shortly after finally stepping onto the islands again.
Terri and her husband, Bob Schoneberger, loved boating around the isles.
“The last year he went by the lighthouse and he said I wanna stay there,” said Terri. ”He said I wanna join the organization. He was going to retire and volunteer. And he died that year of a heart attack.”
She sold his belongings to give the Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society $16,000 and finally decided it was time to come back.
Besides society volunteers, the lighthouse doesn’t get too many visitors these days, but workers were incredibly happy to have Terri for a visit.
“I can’t believe I’m here!” Terri said as she stepped off the dock.
In her pocket, was a tiny urn of her husband’s ashes. When the sun rose the next morning, she climbed down to the water and let them fall into the lake.
“To leave a piece of him here is the best I could do,” she said. “It was definitely a good place for him.”
Gerth hopes that the summer after next, the lighthouse will open to the public.
“Go for a tour with the resident keeper that's out here, it's just gonna be incredible,” said Gerth.
Until then, the volunteers will work to leave the light on for good.
To donate and learn more about the Rock of Ages Lighthouse Society, click here.