BOYD
BOYD HUPPERT TAKES US TO LAKE SUPERIOR IN TONIGHT'S LAND OF
10,000 STORIES.
10,000 STORIES. >> Reporter: FOR THE FIRST HALF
OF ITS LIFE, THE SPLIT ROCK
LIGHTHOUSE WAS A GIVER OF
ILLUMINATION.
ILLUMINATION. BUT TO THIS DAY, MINNESOTA HAS
ALSO NEVER HAD A MORE
DISTINGUISHED LIGHT RECEIVER.
>> NEVER LOOKS THE SAME TWO
DAYS IN A ROW.
ALWAYS A DIFFERENT VIEW AND
DIFFERENT RIGHTING.
DIFFERENT RIGHTING. >> Reporter: 36 YEARS.
THAT'S HOW LONG LEE RADSICK HAS
NOT BEEN GETTING TIRED OF THIS
VIEW.
VIEW.
VIEW. NOT
VIEW. NOT BEEN BORED CLIMBING THIS
SPIRAL STAIRCASE.
SPIRAL STAIRCASE. >> 32 STEPS TO THE TOP.
>> Reporter: NOT BEEN ANYTHING
LESS THAN INSPIRED BY THE
HISTORY OF THE NORTH SHORE'S
TREASURE.
TREASURE.
TREASURE. >> 160,000 PEOPLE A YEAR CLIMB
THOSE STAIRS, LOOK AT THIS AND
WALK THE GROUNDS.
POPULAR PLACE.
POPULAR PLACE. >> Reporter: LEE'S PLACE.
30 YEARS OLD WHICH THE
ARCHEOLOGIST WITH THE MINNESOTA
HISTORICAL SOCIETY LEFT THE TWIN
CITIES TO BECOME THE 40TH KEEPER
OF THE SPLIT ROCK LIGHTHOUSE.
>> MY WIFE AND I HAD BEEN
MARRIED FOR THREE MONTHS AND MY
MOTHER ALWAYS SAID IT'S EITHER
GOING TO MAKE OR BREAK YOUR
MARRIAGE, AND WE'VE LASTED FOR
36-YEAR-OLD SO WE'RE DOING
PRETTY WELL.
PRETTY WELL. >> Reporter: 36 YEARS AND TWO
KIDS WHO GREW UP WITH EVERYONE
ELSE'S VACATION DESTINATION IN
THEIR BACKYARD.
THEIR BACKYARD. >> WE HAD A HEAD LIGHTHOUSE
KEEPER, FIRST ASSISTANT KEEPER,
SECOND ASSISTANT KEEPER, HOMES
FOR EACH OF THEM AND THEIR
FAMILIES.
FAMILIES.
FAMILIES. >> Reporter: IN LEE'S ERA, ONLY
THE STEPS OF ONE THE HOMES
REMAINS SHOVELED.
REMAINS SHOVELED. THE GHOSTS OF SPLIT ROCK STILL
EMERGE.
EMERGE.
EMERGE. >> PETE YOUNG WAS THE FIRST
HEAD KEEPER THAT SERVED AT SPLIT
ROCK, 1910-1928.
ROCK, 1910-1928. >> Reporter: LEE WON'T NAME
EACH OF THE 40 KEEPERS.
>> THERE'S FRANK RIGHT THERE.
>> Reporter: BUT IT SEEMS LIKE
HE COULD.
HE COULD.
HE COULD. >> THERE WE'VE GOT OLD WALT
JOHNSON.
JOHNSON.
JOHNSON. HE'S DOING THAT EXTERIOR
PAINTING ON THE FOG HORNS.
>> Reporter: MAINTENANCE FILLED
THE DAYS OF THE EARLIEST
KEEPERS.
KEEPERS.
KEEPERS. THAT AND GOING OUT FOR DINNER.
>> SHOT DEER IN THE FOREST.
JUST TO GET THE MAIL, IT WAS A
5-MILE BOAT RIDE.
>> Reporter: THE CHILDREN OF
THE KEEPERS GREW UP IN THE
ULTIMATE PLAYGROUND JUST LIKE
LEE'S KIDS.
LEE'S KIDS. >> THE OLD AND THE NEW.
>> Reporter: A PAST TO PRESENT
CONNECTION.
CONNECTION. >> GOT THE SKELETON KEYS HERE.
>> Reporter: IN WHICH THE KEYS
OF THE FIRST KEEPER NOW SHARE
THE RING.
THE RING.
THE RING. >> I'VE BEEN HERE 36 YEARS.
SO THAT'S LITERALLY A THIRD OF
THE HISTORY OF SPLIT ROCK THAT
I'VE BEEN HERE.
>> Reporter: BUT EVEN THE
LONGEST SERVING KEEPER --
>> STILL STANDING.
>> Reporter: KNOWS IT'S TIME TO
BECOME PART OF SPLIT ROCK
HISTORY.
HISTORY.
HISTORY. >> APRIL 12TH IS THE LAST DAY
OF WORK.
OF WORK.
OF WORK. I ALWAYS WANTED TO RETIRE IN THE
SPRING SO I WOULD HAVE A SUMMER
OFF.
OFF.
OFF. >>
OFF. >> A
OFF. >> A SUMMER TO EXPLORE OTHER
LANDMARKS THEN MOVE SOUTH TO A
WARMER CLIMATE, DULUTH.
>> WE DON'T WANT TO GET TOO
FAR.
FAR.
FAR. IT'S
FAR. IT'S KIND OF IN OUR BLOOD.
>> Reporter: LEAVING THIS PLACE
IS EASIER KNOWING THE DOOR WILL
STILL SWING OPEN.
>> WE CAN COME BACK ANY TIME.
>> Reporter: FOR LEE, SPLIT
ROCK WILL LEAVE A LIGHT ON.
BOYD HUPPERT, KARE 11 NEWS.
>> MOVING SOUTH TO DULUTH.
ONCE LEE LEAVES, HIS SECOND IN
COMMAND WILL BE TAKING OVER AS
INTERIM SITE MANAGER.
LATER THIS YEAR THE HISTORICAL
SOCIETY WILL BEGIN A FORMAL
SEARCH FOR SPLIT ROCK'S NEW
KEEPER.
KEEPER.
KEEPER. HARD TO BELIEVE ANYONE COULD
MATCH THAT KIND OF LEGACY.
>> IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING.
HE CLEARLY LOVED HIS JOB AND
EARNED HIS TIME OFF.
>> WHAT A COOL PLACE