Sigurd Olson’s ‘writing shack’ now listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Listening Point Foundation celebrates 25 years

The final words Sigurd Olson ever put down on paper are now among the items in his ‘writing shack’ listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“A New Adventure is coming up / and I’m sure it will be / A good one,” Olson typed on January 13, 1982, just hours before died while snowshoeing near his home in Ely, Minn.

The words in the typewriter were among the items inside Olson’s writing shack in Ely. A dedication ceremony for the shack receiving the national recognition took place at the Listening Point Foundation headquarters during an event Saturday, July 22. The official designation came in 2021 for the writing shack after years of effort by members of the organization and other supporters of Olson and his work.

The Listening Point Foundation, which is celebrating 25 years of operation this year, is based at the former Olson home in Ely. Olson’s cabin and property on Burntside Lake near Ely, known as ‘Listening Point,’ are already listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The event for the writing shack dedication and 25 year celebration of the organization lasted from 1-4 p.m. Saturday at the Listening Point Foundation headquarters. People from Ely to Grand Marais and beyond Minnesota attended, according to Steffi Huberty, the executive director of the LPF.

WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs traveled from Grand Marais to attend the event. He spoke with Huberty (formerly known as Steffi O’Brien) about the significance of Olson’s writing, the dedication of the writing shack to the National Register of Historic Places and the future of the Listening Point Foundation as it reaches the 25-year milestone this year. Listen to their full interview from Ely in the audio shared below.

Joe Friedrichs July 24, 2023