Listening Point - Writing Shack

Sigurd Olson’s writing shack, often referred to simply as “The Shack,” is a small garage with significant historical and literary importance. The Shack along with the Listening Point property (located near the shack, on Burntside Lake) that served as Olson’s retreat and creative haven are both listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1934, Olson and his wife Elizabeth purchased a house on East Wilson Street in Ely, Olson, a dean at the Ely Junior College, found it challenging to balance his noisy household, demanding job, and his passion for canoe trips and writing. Despite rejections from mainstream magazines in the 1930s, Olson persisted in his unique style of writing, which celebrated the rugged beauty and primitive challenges of the Canadian Shield. The Shack remains a testament to Olson’s legacy. His Royal typewriter, with the last words still typed on it, and various personal artifacts, including rocks, books, and maps, are displayed. The property, maintained to reflect the wild forests Olson cherished, includes a stone wall reminiscent of a glacial rock gathering.