Petersen_Rock

Petersen Rock Gardens

and Museum

7930 SW 77th Street, Redmond, OR 97756

Tel: (541) 382-5574 (Central Oregon near Bend, Oregon)

Open 365 Days a Year!

Summer hours:

9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the museum and gift shop.

9 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. for the outdoor rock gardens.

Winter hours:

9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the museum and gift shop.

9 a.m. until dusk for the outdoor rock gardens.

Directions

The Gardens are located 2 1/2 miles west of Highway 97, between Redmond and Bend, Oregon. There are directional signs on the roads to guide you.

Admission

Admission is by donation at the gate, as this is the way the founder, Mr. Petersen operated it.

Suggested donation: $3 per adult, $1.50 for ages 12-16, 50 cents for ages 6 to 11. There is no charge for those under 6 years. Bring a picnic lunch and come spend the day with us or just an hour, but plan to enjoy yourself. There is a picnic area with tables, fireplaces and free-roaming peacocks, ducks and chickens to help you with your lunch.

Museum

The museum houses thousands of unusual rock specimens, as well as a display of naturally fluorescent rocks.

Gift Shop

A gift shop is located in the museum to help with the expenses of maintaining the Gardens. You can purchase polished stones, semi-precious stones, unusual rock specimens unique to Oregon, petrified wood and fossils, Oregon Thunder Eggs, crystals and much more.

History

The Petersen Rock Gardens were started in 1935 by Rasmus Petersen. Still owned and operated by his family. Mr Petersen was born in Denmark July 21, 1883, and came to Central Oregon in 1906.

Here he built his home and began farming, gradually buying land until he had nearly 300 acres under cultivation. By 1935 he had time to devote to his own back yard, and began by building a small rockery a few feet west of his house.

As his friends came and admired his handiwork, and brought their friends, he continued to build. He learned where to find the various kinds of rocks that he eventually came to use as he covered four acres with castles, ponds and bridges.

Almost all the rocks he used came from within an 85 mile radius of the Gardens, including petrified wood, agate, jasper, Thunder Eggs, malachite, lava and obsidian.

Evidence of his love and respect for God and his adopted country is seen in the numbers of miniature churches, the flag of the United States, and the magnificent Statue of Liberty, which a sculptor carved from a local boulder.

Mr. Petersen was a friendly man, hard working and interested in community affairs.

Shortly before his sudden death from a heart attack August 3, 1952, he was heard to say that if anyone had told him he was going to build these Gardens, he wouldn't have believed it. He maintained that handling all those stones and boulders was nowhere the work he did in farming, year after year, plowing the fields and hauling off tons of rock.

Now, over 65 years later, his work has been enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people. The Gardens are internationally famous and have had visitors from almost every country in the world. Everyone is amazed by this one man's talent and ambition.

Rasmus Petersen

1883 - 1952

Statue of Liberty, which a sculptor carved from a local boulder. Mr. Petersen built the pedestal.

Petersen Rock Gardens' website is sponsored by

Oregon artist, Frederique Lavios, www.lavios.com.

We specialize in custom, hand-painted and kiln fired ceramic tiles and murals. Themes include Oregon Landscapes, salmon, trout, and/or tiles with inlayed stones, crystals and fossils from Petersen Rock Gardens. Mention that you saw you our ad on this website and get 10% off your purchase of ceramic tiles or murals.

Hours and Directions

Admission costs

History of the Gardens

Museum and Gift Shop

"These gardens and sculptures are an Oregon treasure! We are so glad we got a chance to enjoy them. To think that thousands and thousands of stones were laid by hand by a man (Rasmus Petersen) who had a vision and passion. You won't see this anywhere else in the world. It is well worth the visit." Quote from a visitor to the Gardens.

Castles, bridges and ponds created by Rasmus Petersen over a 25 year period.

Commemoration to the artist's adopted country.

Peacocks in the Gardens.

Each stone of each monument was layed by hand, one by one.