Aldo Leopold’s “Shack”

Aldo Leopold’s “Shack” near Baraboo is like holy ground for an environmentalist. This small cabin in the woods is where he and his family spent their weekends on the land that inspired Leopold’s book “A Sand County Almanac“. Written in the 1940’s it is still considered one of the most influential environmental books ever written.

On an overcast day each pinhole photo takes 30 minutes to expose, so I spent several hours sitting out front of the shack. It was a peaceful place to sit and reflect, but next time I should bring a book. Any suggestions?

Here are a few pinhole photos from my day…

I imagine many of the trees surrounding the shack were probably planted by Aldo Leopold himself. He and his family planted thousands of trees on the property. The land around the shack now is part of the Aldo Leopold Foundation and is open to the public. A permit can be obtained from the foundation office that is about a mile down the road. Tours of the inside of the shack are offered on weekends in the summer months.

This freshly cut tree laid very near the spot where the “Good Oak” was felled in the “Sand County Almanac”.  A plaque marks the spot where the oak featured in the book once stood.

One more photo from my duct tape pinhole camera. The camera has gotten a bit misshapen now so it’s photos are getting a little weird at times. This time I think it worked in my favor.