Rasmus Petersen’s Rock Garden

Petersen, originally from Denmark, came to the U.S. in 1900 and settled in the Cascade Mountains. He collected rocks from an 85-mile radius. The colorful rocks included Oregon agates, obsidian, petrified wood, malachite and jasper. He began building with them in 1935. At first, it was just a small rockery near his home in Bend, OR. But he kept on building on his four-acre site until his death in 1952. He mortared the rocks together into miniature buildings, monuments, lagoons and bridges.

The Gardens also have concrete flags and a replica of the Statue of Liberty acquired from a local sculptor. In front of it rests a bronze plaque which Peterson had emblazoned "Enjoy yourself: it's later than you think."

The place remains a tourist attraction managed by his family. Visitors can picnic and share lunch with peacocks, ducks, chickens and hundreds of house cats that roam the park. There are also lush floral gardens as well.

For more info and photos, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

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