January 1958 (age 58)

Nothing to report.

January 1973 (age 73)

The National Park Service was in turmoil, and its director, George Hartzog, in December became the first director of the service ever to be fired. President Nixon had never gotten along well with him, but the final straw came when Hartzog revoked the special use and dock permit of a private citizen using a boat dock at Biscayne National Monument in Florida. Unfortunately for Hartzog, the citizen turned out to be the brother-in-law of longtime Nixon friend Charles "Bebe" Rebozo. Nixon fired him late in December, and in January, Sigurd wrote to him expressing sympathy. An excerpt:

It was sad news to hear of the reshuffling of so many important posts and men who really were experts in their fields with long records of experience and achievement in the natural resource fields being replaced by political appointees. I got a letter from Frank Masland and another from Emil Haurie and I could sense the feeling of uncertainty and gloom in the old department and especially the NPS. Gone was the old feeling of comradeship and good will, the sense of working toward definite goals. We will all miss you George and I feel it was a great privilege to have worked with you on so many worthwhile projects. We may have had our differences at times but all had in our hearts the old goals to which we were dedicated.