The Keepers of The Split Rock Lighthouse

In its 51-year run, The Split Rock Lighthouse had five keepers, making sure it stayed bright. The first keeper was Orren “Pete” Young, who took over at the opening in 1910. Fifty-two at the time, Young would serve as the keeper for 18 years and only retire because of the mandatory 70-year-old age limit. Franklin Calvin, who had served as first and second assistant at various times throughout Young’s control, would take over as keeping in 1928. Calvin, like Young, Calvin was a keeper until he was 70 and was forced to retire.

Although the Lighthouse had seen stability with its keeper position, this would change when trying to find the next keeper. When Calvin retired in 1944, James Gagnon took over but only held the position until 1946. Morse Rhea was promoted to the keeper in 1946 and would be replaced a year later in 1947. That is when Robert E. Bennets was promoted to the keeper and would hold that position until the land was sold to the government. Bennets was the keeper for 14 years and brought the Lighthouse back to the stability it once knew.