Ollie and Jimmy spent the next few summers building a log cabin home on the property. Some seventy spruce logs for the cabin were cut near the building site. The logs then skidded to the site by a timber horse rented by Ollie and Jimmy from a local logging camp. The logging camp was most likely Sam Seppala's sawmill. Trail Center Lodge and Restaurant is now located on the site of this mill. As the cabin neared completion, it was christened Red Pine after a large Norway Pine located near the new building. With the cabin completed,
Ollie and Jimmy spent their summers there; returning to Chicago for the winter. In later years they moved to Red Pine year around.
Another two cabins were built in the 1950's and 60's which the Greco's rented out to friends of theirs from Chicago. The name of their rental business became Red Pine Outpost.
Ollie wrote about her experiences on Poplar Lake. Two of her articles appeared in Outdoors Magazine; " I wanted a Log Cabin." April 1939 and "Red Pine" July, 1939. Among Ollie's many other writings were the following written in August of 1935:
The greatest joy anyone can have is to learn to appreciate nature and learn to be comfortable in the world of nature. To live in a simple way--to learn to take care of oneself and be adequate-
Living in the out of doors brings health and strength of both body and character.
A deep sincere love of nature is the surest guarantee for true character building.
Many meet people socially for years and never recognize their true nature-- but live with them a week camping and nothing shows up so quickly as their character.
Olive died in April of 1973 and is buried in Grand Marais' Maple Hill Cemetery. Little Ollie Lake is named in her honor. Her beloved Red Pine Cabin and the majestic Norway Pine, by the cabin, still remain much as they were some seventy some years ago.
A collection of Ollie's poetry, much of which written at the Red Pines Cabin, was found after her death. This poetry has been reproduced and is available at Poplar Creek Guesthouse's office.
Ollie O'Brien Greco: 1887-1973
4 comments:
Hi,
I am Ralph Swanson, Ollie's nephew and live in Grants Pass, Oregon. I have been to Red Pine a few times from 1942 to 1974 [year after Ollie's death] and have many photos and other memories of her and the Outpost which I could share. Thanks for your post.
rs1584@intergate.com
Ollie Greco was my aunt. I visited Red Pine Outpost around 1947, in 1954 and for the last time around 1972. My dad loved to go up there and fish. I have pictures and a printed brochure about Red Pine Outpost with pictures of Ollie and Jim Greco from the 1940s. Carole Swanson Miller horse@triton.net
Ollie was born 1893, not 1887. Also, her son Robert O'Brien did alot of work on cutting the wood and building the cabin and furniture.
My name is John Brower. I am the son of Frank J. Brower of Chicago, IL. I remember my dad said that he and Jimmy Greco were the best of friends. I found a letter among my dads belongings addressed to me, dated 9 June 1952, right after my birth. The return address was Red Pine Outpost, Gunflint Trail, Grand Marais, Minn. My dad was a mail man, and the letter urged me to be an outdoorsman. He stated, "I think of your dad nearly every day, especially close to noon. You see, little fellow, he and I used to eat our lunches together and it was fun." The letter is on a piece of stationary with the upper third showing a fisherman bringing in a trout from a red canoe. I wish I new him. Nice to see there is record of his accomplishments.
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