Welcome to Petersen Rock Garden, a captivating folk art site nestled between Bend and Redmond. Created in the 1930s by Danish immigrant Rasmus Christian Petersen, this unique attraction showcases an enchanting blend of artistry, history, and natural beauty. Its intricate rock sculptures and roaming peacocks continue to delight visitors of all ages, offering a self-guided, family-friendly experience just minutes from Bend. Join us as we explore the remarkable story and enduring charm of this beloved local landmark.
About
Petersen Rock Garden
Our History
Nestled between Bend and Redmond in Deschutes County, Oregon, Petersen Rock Garden is a 4-acre (1.6 ha) historic site that showcases the extraordinary creativity of Rasmus Petersen, a Danish immigrant who arrived in Central Oregon in the early 1900s. Starting in 1935, Petersen transformed ordinary stones sourced within an 85-mile (137 km) radius of his home into intricate miniature castles, churches, bridges, and monuments. Accentuated by water features and natural landscaping, the garden is a unique fusion of artistic vision and geological craftsmanship. Petersen devoted himself to this labor of love until his death in 1952, and the garden remained in his family’s care for decades.
About Rasmus Petersen
Rasmus Petersen, a Danish immigrant, moved to Junction City, Oregon, in 1905 before claiming an 80-acre homestead near Redmond under the Desert Land Act in 1906. By the 1920s, Petersen was a successful farmer cultivating hay and grain and raising livestock on 256 acres. During the Great Depression, he adapted by growing potatoes. In 1935, at 52, Petersen began creating his rock garden as a winter pastime, transforming rocks cleared from his farmland into intricate structures. Using local semiprecious stones like agate, jasper, and obsidian, he built miniature buildings, bridges, and fountains, gradually expanding the garden with flowers, mosses, and water features. Word of the unique garden spread, attracting over 7,000 visitors by 1938.
1935
Rasmus Petersen claimed an 80-acre homestead near Redmond under the Desert Land Act
1905
Petersen, at age 52, began creating his rock garden as a winter pastime, transforming rocks cleared from his farmland into intricate structures.
Petersen retired from farming to focus entirely on the garden, which grew to include a museum, a pond with islands, and a miniature Statue of Liberty inscribed with the phrase, "Enjoy yourself. It is later than you think."
1940
The four-acre garden became a major tourist attraction, drawing 120,000 annual visitors by the early 1950s. Petersen married Nyleta Harris in 1950, and after his death in 1952, she managed the site until her passing in 1987.
1952
Since 2022
Marci Wayman purchased the iconic Central Oregon landmark with the vision of transforming it into a nonprofit, stewarded and shared by the community. Over the past few years, new ownership and dedicated volunteers have revitalized this beloved roadside attraction, fostering community engagement to restore its features, celebrate its history, and plan for its future. Through collaborative efforts, they’ve organized volunteer schedules, invited others to join the mission, and created opportunities for everyone to contribute to the preservation and reimagination of this cherished site.