Paint The Rock challenge seeks to raise $50,000 for Rock of Ages Lighthouse on Lake Superior

 

The Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society is raising $50,000 to restore and repair a historic 132-foot lighthouse off the coast of Isle Royale on Lake Superior.

The Rock of Ages Lighthouse is one of the most remote lighthouses on the Great Lakes, located about three miles from Isle Royale’s west end and 15 miles from Minnesota’s North Shore. The lighthouse was completed in 1908 and remained in operation until 1978, providing a navigation aid for vessels traveling between the North Shore and Isle Royale. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and owned by the National Park Service, “The Rock” now greets visitors en route to Isle Royale National Park.

Since 2015, volunteers with the Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society (ROALPS) have been working to restore the 10-story engineering marvel to its original glory, with the ultimate goal of eventually opening the lighthouse to visitors. Volunteers have restored the third and fourth floors of the lighthouse and partially restored many other areas.

However, water intrusion has long been an issue at the Rock of Ages Lighthouse. Cracks in the masonry and missing vent covers allow the moisture that builds up during the off season to drop down multiple floors, damaging the restoration progress that has been made over the past eight years. These problems must be fixed before volunteers can proceed.

ROALPS launched the Paint the Rock Challenge to raise money to hire a contractor to repair and paint the exterior masonry of the lighthouse during the summer 2023 season. This will allow interior restoration work to continue into the lower parts of the tower that are in poor condition and preserve restoration work that has already been done.