Listening Point Foundation, Inc

Keep Sig Olson's philosophy of wilderness alive and support the preservation of his most beloved places. 

Located in Ely, Minnesota, we are the Sigurd F. Olson legacy organization. Sigurd F. Olson (1899-1982) was a well-known environmentalist, award-winning conservation activist, and best-selling author.  

Founded in 1998, Listening Point Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to preserve Listening Point and keep Sig’s legacy and wilderness philosophy alive in the world today.

Vision

Listening Point was a place of connection for Sig, continually renewing his sense of wonder and gratitude for the natural world. A central theme throughout his written works and speeches is the idea that wild places are integral to the well-being of the human spirit.

Sig put it best when he wrote in his book Listening Point: 

"Everybody has a listening-point somewhere. It does not have to be in the north or close to the wilderness, but some place of quiet where the universe can be contemplated with awe."

Hence, the vision of the Listening Point Foundation is to foster people's connection to wild places by inspiring them to find a "listening point" in their own lives.

Preserving and sharing places important to Sig.

Listening Point Foundation owns and cares for the property at Listening Point, the Olson home in Ely, and Sig's iconic Writing Shack. We work to preserve the historic integrity of those places and use them as part of our mission to share Sig's philosophy of wilderness with students and visitors from around the globe through guided, historic tours. 

You can help!

Many exciting things are ahead for Listening Point Foundation in 2020! 

As 90% of our funding comes from donors, your support truly helps us keep Sig's inspiring legacy alive. 

Thank you! 

   A tour of Sig Olson's Writing Shack in Ely, Minnesota. Featuring: Alanna Dore, Executive Director, 2003-2018.

In Sig's words:

"We cannot all live close to the wilderness, or even close to it, but we can, no matter where we spend our lives, remember the background which shaped this sense of the eternal rhythm, remember that days, no matter how frenzied their pace, can be calm and unhurried."

***

"If we can move into an open horizon where we can live in our modern world with the ancient dreams that have always stirred us, then our work will have been done. "        ⁠