In the mid-Nineteenth Century, the Copper Rush was on in the Keweenaw Peninsula. Copper had been mined in the area for thousands of years by the people of the first nations, but in the 1800's speculators and prospectors backed by wealthy capitalists from around the globe flocked here to exploit the wealth of the Keweenaw on an industrial scale.

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Lake Superior presented both a convenient means of transportation, and a formidable challenge in its tempestuous weather and rocky shores and shoals. The first lighthouse to be built in the Keweenaw was at nearby Manitou Island in 1849. In 1867, Gull Rock Lighthouse was built, marking a dangerous shoal in the narrow passage between Manitou Island and Keweenaw Point, a route to shelter from storms in the lee of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

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For 46 years keepers and their families lived at Gull Rock and tended the light, until it was automated in 1913. Although the light itself was maintained, the lighthouse fell into disrepair. With large holes in the roof, most of the interior floor structure collapsed into the basement.

 

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Today, through the generosity of public donations as well as in conjunction with the United States Coast Guard, Gull Rock Lighthouse is operated and maintained by Gull Rock Lightkeepers, a non-profit organization.