Split Rock Lighthouse closed briefly after lightning strike

DULUTH — Lightning struck a tree near Split Rock Lighthouse on Monday, prompting a temporary closure of the historic Lake Superior site.

Lightning hit a tree in the parking lot area during a thunderstorm, connecting with a light pole and sending a current to the visitor center, officials reported on social media. That current affected some of the center's internal systems, but no one was injured and none of the historic buildings were damaged.

The lighthouse and visitor center — among the state's most popular attractions — was closed Tuesday so employees could assess the property, officials said. The site is expected to reopen Wednesday. The nearby Split Rock Lighthouse State Park remained open.

The site is operated by the Minnesota Historical Society. The lighthouse was built after more than two dozen ships were wrecked during a major storm on Lake Superior in November 1905, some along the North Shore. The lighthouse was completed in 1910. The station closed in 1969 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It received National Historic Landmark status in 2011.