Split Rock Lighthouse State Park
Gold Rock Point, now an integral part of Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, was acquired by the Parks & Trails Council in 1998 for slightly more than $1 million. The acquisition preserved a spectacular view from the lighthouse and public access to the wreck of the Madeira.
Rudi Hargesheimer
Rudi Hargesheimer
Today, many people know Gold Rock Point as that rugged lichen-covered rocky bluff of sheer cliffs with a pebble beach jutting into Lake Superior on Minnesota's scenic North Shore. Easily visible to visitors looking to the northeast from the historic 97-year-old Split Rock Lighthouse, Gold Rock Point is the primary access point to the Madeira, a shipwreck on the National Register of Historic Places and one of the Great Lakes' most popular dive sites. Gold Rock Point is also significant geologically as the largest of the few exposures of granite on the North Shore.
What people may not know about Gold Rock Point is that in 1997 the family that owned it wanted to sell it. The owners first offered it to the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota for $1.06 million. If the Parks & Trails Council didn't agree to the deal, Gold Rock Point was going to be put up for sale on the open market. A prime piece of real estate, Gold Rock Point instantly captured the hearts and minds of land conservationists, divers and private developers alike.
With one of Minnesota's most special places potentially going to the highest bidder, the Parks & Trails Council moved swiftly to purchase an option to buy the 81-acre golden-orange gem with its 3,700 feet of shoreline and spectacular views so it could ensure that the North Shore treasure would remain forever publicly accessible. The Parks & Trails Council immediately launched a drive to raise the $1 million needed to purchase the land while simultaneously working to convince the Minnesota Legislature to expand the boundaries of the adjacent Split Rock Lighthouse State Park to include Gold Rock Point. At the same time, the Parks & Trails Council began mobilizing public support to persuade the Lake County Board of Commissioners to approve the sale.
Thanks to the efforts of the Parks & Trails Council and all of the individuals and foundations that contributed to the fundraising campaign, Gold Rock Point is today part of Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, a place where countless generations will be able to experience all of its diverse magnificence.