Gnome Park in Dawson, Minnesota, sounded like the kind of roadside stop I couldn’t pass up. Rex could meet a few locals closer to his own height, while Roy took his new dog out for a walk.
I expected cute statues and a chance to stretch our legs. I found both. Then I discovered that Dawson’s gnomes have names and stories tied to the people who helped shape the town.
Meeting the Locals
The gnomes stand across a grassy park beside Dawson’s RV campground. They don’t line up in identical poses, so a walk through the park feels a little like meeting a cast of characters.
One wore a blue suit and striped tie beneath a hat. Another stood beside a tire, while two more rode together in a small car. Rex investigated the grass between them as I crossed the lawn for a closer look.
The weather had worn some of the paint, but that only made me more interested in the details. I wanted to know why someone had chosen a tire for one figure and a little car for the others.
The Names Behind the Hats
Dawson calls itself “Gnometown, USA.” Since 1988, the community has honored residents and groups whose work made a difference in town. Each year, Riverfest adds another chapter to the tradition, and the honorees take their places among the gnomes. (www.gnomedaws.com)
A painted scene at the park’s display caught my attention first. Then I looked below it and started reading names.
The list includes the Dawson Fire Department, the founders of Dawson Mills, and the town’s EMTs and first responders. It also names residents such as Mayor Dick Pollei, Dr. Ralph Gerbig, Virgil Thompson, Deb Breberg, and Woody Peet. I had arrived to look at gnomes; the display gave me people to learn about.
Dawson has Gnome Tales for its honorees. Those stories turn a quick roadside stop into a way to explore the town’s history, one character at a time. (www.gnomedaws.com)
Roy Meets the Gnometown Fire Department
Roy found someone dressed for his kind of outing. He came ready with his fire helmet for a photo beside the firefighter, while Rex joined them and Roy’s new skeleton dog gnawed on the fire hose.
The yellow coat gnome represents the Dawson Fire Department. Dawson calls the character the Gnometown Fire Department in its gnome tale and honored the firefighters as a group in 2008. (www.gnomedaws.com)
Roy looked ready to join the crew. However, his dog looked ready to cause some trouble.
The Reverend by the Little Church
A small white church gave me another clue about a gnome’s identity. The figure standing near it honors the Reverend G. S. Froiland, whom Dawson recognized in 2005.
His story reaches well beyond the church. Dawson’s account describes his work with the local hospital and library, alongside his years serving area congregations. I would have walked past a priest gnome and a tiny church without learning any of that if I hadn’t looked up his name. (GNOMETOWN, USA)
The Troll Hiding Underneath
I nearly missed the figure beneath a wooden structure. Unlike the residents Dawson honors with its gnomes, the Troll plays the troublemaker in one of the town’s tales.
Dawson introduced him in a story about the pandemic and the ways its gnomes worked together to protect their community. The story gives that crouching figure a reason to lurk apart from the others. Once I knew who he was, his hiding place made much more sense. (GNOMETOWN, USA)
More Than One Walk Can Explain
The photo of Gnome Loren has a story behind it. Loren Femrite helped organize Dawson’s community foundation, then became the maker of the larger than life gnomes throughout the park. His sculptures preserve the stories of the people who helped build and care for the town.
That became part of the appeal of Gnome Park for me. Some figures offered an immediate clue; others sent me back to the display or Dawson’s stories. Rex got his walk, and I kept finding reasons to stop along the way.
Planning a Stop at Gnome Park
Gnome Park sits beside the Dawson Aquatic Center along Highway 212. Dawson welcomes visitors to see the gnomes anytime, so you can make it a brief break from the road or stay longer to read the names and explore. (www.gnomedaws.com)
Travelers who want to spend the night can look into the nearby Gnome Park Campground. The city lists full hookup sites and a bathroom and shower house, and it recommends calling ahead for availability. (dawsonmn.com)
I pulled over because a park full of gnomes sounded fun. Roy met the fire department, Rex met a few locals his size, and I met some of the people Dawson chose to remember.
Explore More
Every route brings something different. Nature walks, small-town discoveries, unexpected stops, and moments from the road. Read more of my travel stories and follow what Rex and I discover along the way.
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