One of my readers told me about a place hidden behind the Tyrone Memory Gardens Cemetery on White Lake Road Southwest of Fenton. Down in a small valley is the Tyrone Sunken Gardens containing rocks from all fifty states and arranged in a Stonehenge type configuration.
Some of the stones were quarried over 200 years ago and are proudly displayed protruding out of the tall grass.
The rock garden was built in 1930 by Charles Eugene Smith. On the back of the large stone that welcomes visitors he had carved:
After having traveled around the world four different times and visited parts of Europe, Asia, North America, South America, North and South Africa, Austraila and the islands of New Zealand Tasmania, St. Helena, Canary, Fiji, Ceylon, Iceland, Hawaii, Philippine, New Foundland, Faroe and many others and considering the famous rock gardens of Iceland and the sunken gardens of London, England, and Mexico City the most beautiful I contribute this memorial on my memory to this small garden.
I am sure Charles Eugene Smith wanted to inspire other explorers and wayward souls, I am not sure why he located his garden where he did but it is a joy to find. Many rocks have inspiring proverbs and sayings, some by Smith himself. You will have to visit this wonderful little spot to read them for yourself. It is on private property but the last time I visited it was open to the public. If you visit, please be respectful.
I have more info about the gardens in Volume3 of the Lost In Michigan books that are available on Amazon HERE
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