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New exhibit celebrates Sigurd Olson's relationship to canoe heritage

May 16, 2011

This summer, paddling enthusiasts and fans of Sigurd F. Olson will have a new destination to visit. “Wildness in the Soul: Sigurd Olson and the Canoe,” opens May 28 at the Wisconsin Canoe Heritage Museum in Spooner, Wisc. The exhibit features many previously unseen items from the collections of several organizations with ties to Olson, including the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute and the Listening Point Foundation.

“This is a unique collection,” says Curator Alan Craig. “Many of these items have never been seen by the public. The Canoe Heritage Museum is a great venue to gather all of these pieces together and provide the historical context that links them together.”

The centerpiece of the exhibit is Olson’s 1935 Old Town Yankee wood canvas canoe, recently restored by David Osborn of Little Lakes Canoe Restoration. The canoe dates from the years Olson worked as a guide with the Ely-based Border Lakes Outfitters, and has not previously been seen by the public. Other items in the exhibit include a Duluth pack, tent, cutlery and other camping gear, all once owned by the legendary author.

“What separates Olson’s work from that of his contemporaries is his ability to describe his experience with wildness,” says Craig. “He was able to articulate what many of us feel when we paddle but are not able to express ourselves. This exhibit celebrates that legacy and introduces Olson’s life and work to a new generation of paddlers.”

“Wildness in the Soul” was made possible through the Wisconsin Canoe Heritage Museum’s interpretive development fund, support from private donors and in-kind contributions from a large cast of volunteers.