We recommend that you read this page very carefully, because it describes Skip's background in log home building -- etc. 

Specifically, this page contains information about the following:

    1.  Skip's background regarding log homes
    2.  His experience as a "log home building" teacher
    3.  His home that was used to film the "log mansion" scenes of the TV
         series, NORTHERN EXPOSURE
    4.  His association with Bruce Lee (as Bruce's third student in
         America) -- which is described here only because so many people
         ask about it
    5.  His "semi-retirement"
    6.  His current log home building classes in America
    7.  His current log home building classes in Southeast Asia

My name is Mike Simmons.  I volunteered to write this "introduction" to Skip.  I previously served as Executive Vice President of The Log Home Builders Association Of North America, which is the Trade Association for log home builders. We have over 35,000 members throughout the world.

As a Trade Association, we are listed in such publications as; A Directory Of National Trade Associations, published by The United States Department Of Commerce; The Encyclopedia Of Associations, published by The Gale Research Company; The National Avocational Organizations Directory, published by Columbia Books; The National Trade and Professional Associations of the United States, also published by Columbia Books; etc.

I volunteered to write this testimonial because I want the craft of log home construction to be preserved for future generations. In my opinion, the best way I can help preserve this craft is by encouraging people to attend The Log Home Building Seminar that is taught by Skip Ellsworth.  Therefore, I am happy to write to you in this way.

To establish credibility regarding this testimonial, I will only include facts that can easily be verified at your public library. I will begin by telling you about the instructor... DeWelle F. (Skip) Ellsworth (photo directly below)

Mr. Ellsworth was previously the President and CEO of the Association.

 He is acknowledged to be the world's foremost authority in the field of log home construction (as you will see if you read this website).

Skip is a fifth generation log house builder. His great-great grandfather, Ruben Jones Ellsworth, built the first log home in Nashua, Iowa in 1853, as documented at the Library of Congress in a publication called The History Of Butler And Bremmer Counties, 1853.

Skip started working on log homes with his father when he was six years old. The accumulated knowledge of five generations was systematically passed on to him. He has now spent a lifetime studying, researching and teaching this type of construction.

Skip previously taught this two-day (22 hour) seminar through The Experimental College of The University Of Washington for 108 consecutive terms (26 years).

He also taught this seminar at other Universities and Colleges, including (but not limited to) Seattle Central Community College, North Seattle Community College, Shoreline Community College, Everett Community College, Highline Community College, Bellevue Community College, etc.  

In addition, he also taught through many government agencies -- including the City of Redmond, the City of Enumclaw, the City of Auburn, the City of Issaquah, etc.
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CURRENT LOG HOME SEMINARS IN AMERICA:

Skip is now teaching the same two day class that he previously taught at the "University/Colleges" at his ranch near Seattle, Washington U.S.A. 

These classes are now open to "non-students," and arrangements to attend can be made by contacting us at info@loghomebuilders.org.

CURRENT LOG HOME SEMINARS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA:

           He is also teaching the same class at his "winter" home, which is located on a beautiful beach, on a beautiful tropical island in the Philippines.

           Arrangements to attend the seminar in Asia can be made by contacting us at the above e-mail address.

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SKIP'S ACHIEVEMENTS ARE WIDELY RECOGNIZED:

Skip is a well known lecturer, teacher, and business-man. At this writing, he is listed in Who's Who In Finance And Industry, which is a companion volume to Who's Who In America. He was recently nominated to be included in Who's Who Among Young American Professionals, published by The National Reference Press. He was also recently nominated to be listed in The International Business Who's Who, as well as The World's Who's Who Of Persons Of Achievement, published by The International Biographical Center, Cambridge, England. Who's Who In America and Who's Who In The West recently wrote to him (I have personally seen the letters on his desk) requesting his biographical information.

He was recently accepted to be included in Strathmore's Who's Who Registry of Business Leaders.

Also, he was recently given The Professional Achievement Award by the Professional Recognition Society, of Alexandria, Louisiana.

He was invited to be an American delegate to The U.S./China Joint Session On Industry, Trade, And Economic Development, at Beijing, China (the honorary chairman was Ronald Reagan, former President of The United States).

Articles about Skip's various successes have been included in many major magazines and newspapers, such as; The Wall Street Journal (over one full page about Mr. Ellsworth in the West Coast Edition), U.S.A. Today, Sunset Magazine, Playboy Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Family Circle, Seventeen Magazine, The New York Times, Log Home Guide, Home Building Magazine, Rodale's New Shelter Magazine, Americana Magazine, The Log House Builders Journal, Hudson Home Guide, This Old House Magazine, View Northwest, Pacific Magazine, Washington Magazine, Country Journal, Practical Homeowner, The Chicago Tribune, The Miami Herald, Nation's Business, etc.

Locally, many articles have appeared in The Post Intelligencer, The Seattle Times, The Everett Herald, The Seattle Daily Journal Of Commerce, The Tacoma News Tribune, Northwest Exchange, The Seattle Weeklv, The Bellevue Journal American, etc.

On two separate occasions, Skip and his log home were featured in extensive articles (with many color photographs) in The Pacific Magazine Section of The Seattle Times. One of these articles appeared on June 9,1991.

Mr. Ellsworth's personal log home can often be seen on television. For example, it was recently featured on KOMO -TV's Northwest Afternoon, in a documentary called Premier Northwest Homes (homes valued from $2,000,000. to $15,000,000.).

SKIP'S HOME IS OFTEN USED IN MOVIES, ETC.:

FOR EXAMPLE:  Universal Studios often used Skip's home to film the award winning TV series called NORTHERN EXPOSURE.

His home was the log mansion that was "lived in" by Maurice -- the retired astronaut played by Barry Corbin.

BARRY CORBIN AND SKIP ELLSWORTH.

The above photo was taken in Skip's kitchen during the filming of NORTHERN EXPOSURE.

Skip became good friends with Barry. He says that Barry is a very nice guy -- and a talented actor.

(*** Add more photos here -- of the NORTHERN EXPOSURE group at Skip's ranch.)

The "log mansion" scenes of Northern Exposure were filmed at Skip's home in Monroe, Washington. Skip's home is the log mansion that was "lived in" by the fictional character "Maurice Minnifield" (a retired astronaut), played by actor Barry Corbin.

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The following paragraphs are excerpts from an article that was published in Entertainment Weekly, April 24, '92.

"Up north, a man's man lives high on the log. From knives to hides, here's a peek into Maurice's digs."

"It's probably the most visited log cabin on TV since Grizzly Adams' - if "cabin" is the right word for a place with a 1,000 square foot living room, and a dining table that seats 24. Northern Exposure's Maurice Minnifield, the ex-NASA jock (played by Barry Corbin) who splashed down in the one state [Alaska] big enough to hold his bluster, calls it home."

"'We wanted to give him a castle that's commensurate with the size of the character," explains Exposure co-creator Joshua Brand, "a monument to himself.'"

"Imagine if you will, a collision outside fictional Cicely, Alaska, between Charles Foster Kane's Xanadu and a hunting lodge. A zoo's worth of moose, bear, and buffalo gaze with glass eyes at museum-quality paintings. An arsenal of rifles and knives cozies up beside Victorian lampshades and rococo sofas. "Guns and roses," Brand calls the decor. "In a way, it's a Rorschach Test for Maurice."

"The [home is] a real log home built about 20 miles outside Seattle by DeWelle F. (Skip) Ellsworth III, who teaches log cabin construction through the University of Washington. His 6,500 square foot home, dripping with hunting trophies, Zulu shields, knives, and even a carriage and sleigh, was used in episodes of Exposure."

"Eventually, Maurice got his own place, built inside a Redmond, Washington soundstage under the supervision of production designer Woody Crocker... "This is a man with a great knowledge of period and style, but who overdoes everything," Crocker says. "practicality is not Maurice's long suit."

END OF ARTRICLE

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The above article included thirteen beautiful colored photos of "Maurice's" home.

The log home that was later built in the Redmond studio (for the final episodes of Northern Exposure) was admittedly patterned after Skip's house.

In fact, people on the movie-set often said  that  "Maurice's" character was patterned after Skip.

(Sorry, Skip. We're just reporting what we've heard.)

     Skip, standing by the front door of his house.

SKIP IS "SEMI-RETIRED" NOW...

At this time, Skip is living  primarily at his beach-front home on a beautiful tropical island in Southeast Asia.

On one of his recent trips to Asia, he did not return to America for almost five years -- and there were no seminars or classes during that entire period of time. 

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SKIP'S CURRENT SEMINARS IN AMERICA:

            Skip still occasionally returns to America to teach classes at his
            ranch in Monroe, Washington -- but he will soon stop doing so.

SKIP'S CURRENT SEMINARS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA:  

            He has already started to teach classes at his home in the
            Philippines. 

            More information about the classes in the Philippines can be
            found in the "SEMINARS IN THE PHILIPPINES" Chapter.

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