On the rocky bluffs of Minnesota’s north shore sits Split Rock Lighthouse — an iconic attraction and National Historic Landmark. In partnership with Quinn Evans Architects, MSA led topographic survey, ADA improvement design, electrical/lighting engineering and trail improvement components of a multi-faceted project to prioritize accessibility and reestablish historic circulation routes within the property.

The partnering organizations worked closely with the Minnesota Historical Society on design upgrades to this cherished lighthouse property, which was constructed between 1909-1910. Until 1961, the lighthouse served as a key navigational aid for small craft and Great Lakes freighters alike, and today is one of the most visited state parks and historic sites in Minnesota with an average annual visitation of 150,000 people.

MSA surveyors, civil engineers, electrical engineers and landscape architects collaborated to restore site lines and upgrade accessibility on the historic property. Specifically, MSA modified existing concrete sidewalks around on-site dwellings to provide ADA-compliant pedestrian routes, added new barrier-free routes throughout the site, restored unneeded asphalt surface to natural grass lawn, designed electrical and energy-efficient lighting systems for outdoor walkways, and worked in tandem with Quinn Evans to stabilize historical features. Work also includes a resource-conscious cut and fill plan to minimize archeological disturbance around the lighthouse building, historic residences, trails, and gathering areas.

Revitalization of the 25-acre Split Rock Lighthouse property means it has been thoughtfully restored and rehabilitated, with a renewed emphasis on the historic site’s narrative and improved capacity to be experienced by visitors of all ages and abilities. Construction was substantially complete in the fall of 2025 to commemorate both the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the 40th anniversary of Split Rock Lighthouse’s annual memorial beacon-lighting on November 10, 2025.