Petersen Rock Garden

Ramus Petersen was born in Denmark in 1883 and immigrated to America in 1901 when he was 18 (one of his brothers came as well). He enrolled in the Nysted Folk School, a Danish-American school that was located in Nebraska. Four years later, Petersen acquired a homestead (where the rock garden is now) and started farming. He became successful, raising various types of crops and livestock, and expanded his property to three times its initial size to 256 acres. His stature in the community grew as well. He co-founded a community hall and local grange was a member of several boards.

Petersen started collecting rocks and building the garden in 1935. In the coming years he also began to sell off his land and only had twelve acres by the early 1940s. Almost immediately people began to visit the garden; in 1938, over 7,000 people visited. He built the museum building in 1941, which houses the geodes, semi-precious stones, minerals and other specimens Petersen collected, including a 500-pound quartz crystal from Arkansas. Petersen expanded the garden until he passed away in 1952. His grandchildren have continued to operate the garden but in recent years it has fallen on hard times and is in need of repair.

Hale, Jamie. "Petersen Rock Garden is still surviving, but in a state of disrepair." The Oregonian. October 10, 2017. Last Updated May 17, 2019. https://www.oregonlive.com/travel/2017/10/petersen_rock_garden_is_still.html.

Oregon State Historic Preservation Office staff & Hall, Michael. "Petersen Rock Garden." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. October 30, 2013. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/01f7b85c-20b3-4226-bb58-b2a4388309a2.