By Andrew Tellijohn

As the old adage goes, the City of Peterson in southeast Minnesota is so small that you might miss it if you blink.

But this quiet city, population 234, has become a bit of a tourist attraction, thanks to a growing population of Norwegian gnomes.

These newfound residents captured the attention of the “Quirky Minnesota Places” Facebook page, transforming Peterson into a bustling hub of activity.

“You wouldn’t believe how many people come to our museum just to snap pictures with our gnome,” says City Council member Gail Barnard-Boyum, who also is a member of the Friends of Peterson nonprofit responsible for this phenomenon.

The gnome journey

The tale unfolds in 2016, when several Peterson residents were in the process of establishing a nonprofit to accept donations for city activities. During a visit to Rochester, one of them saw a giant gnome, eight-and-a-half feet tall, which piqued their collective interest. They immediately wanted one of their own.

The first one they found cost $5,000, but they found a similar gnome on Amazon for a more reasonable $1,700. Commitments for $100 donations began pouring in and, before long, the Friends of Peterson had raised enough to cover the cost.

But on the day it was due to arrive, as the local newspaper descended upon the Peterson Station Museum and Visitors Center to photograph 17 donors with their newfound guardian, including museum curator John Erickson, the gnome never showed up.

“They told us, ‘Believe it or not, it’s gone,’” Boyum recounts. “I thought, ‘You’ve got to be kidding; it’s eight-and-a-half feet tall.’ I shared the news with John, our museum curator, and John said, ‘Well, Gail, gnomes are tricksters. Who knows where it decided to go.’”

Undaunted, they placed an order for a second gnome, with a strict deadline for its arrival — just in time for the annual Gammel Dag celebration.

The following Monday, City Clerk Chris Grindland called Boyum, telling her to get to the museum in a hurry.

“They opened the delivery truck, and to our surprise, not only was the original gnome inside, but also the second one,” Boyum says. “Amazon didn’t want it back. So now, we have twins.”

Roaming gnomes

With two gnomes for the price of one, Gustav typically stands sentinel at the museum, while the other, Gunnar, watches over Peterson’s Root River Bike Trail. However, they are not confined to these roles.

The beloved giants are regular attendees at town events, particularly at Gammel Dag, which now features two gnome scavenger hunts: one for the youngsters and another for adults.

“We’re having a blast with it,” Boyum notes. “Surprisingly, these gnomes are quite portable, despite their size. They’re not solid. So, a gnome always graces our parade and later spends the day at our bandstand.”

The gnome fascination has caught on around the city. A local artist who joined Friends of Peterson volunteered to paint murals. As a result, the walls of the Peterson Post Office now feature on one side a gnome attempting to mail a letter and, on the other, gnomes waiting for a delivery at their unique mailbox.

The city’s role

The baseball park concession stand, which abuts a local campground, also boasts a gnome painting, the only expense incurred by the city for this gnome push. All other costs have been covered by the Friends of Peterson through donations, according to Grindland.

The city’s primary role has been marketing, using catchy slogans like, “A gnome for every home” to encourage residents to participate. Some have eagerly joined the gnome movement.

“I have no idea how many gnomes are actually in town,” Grindland says. “We don’t keep track of that, but the ones in people’s yards were purchased by the homeowners.”

A post on the “Quirky Minnesota Places” Facebook page puts the count at no fewer than 22. The campaign has yielded the benefit of bringing some tourism to the area.

“I’d say that visitors are even more enchanted by it than the locals,” Boyum observes. “It’s increasingly becoming something that many people want to be a part of. That’s when you start spotting gnomes in gardens. We’ve undeniably attracted more visitors to our town who come to capture the magic through photographs.”

This gnome frenzy has significantly boosted local businesses, including Burdey’s Café, renowned for its delectable pies. There is even discussion about capitalizing on the popularity by opening a store that sells gnomes and gnome-related merchandise.

“We believe that could be the next big thing,” she declares. “We’re actively exploring that possibility.”

Boyum and Grindland assert that any city can achieve a similar feat by investing some time in identifying its “thing.”

“Every place has its unique idea,” Grindland notes. “There will always be people who appreciate it. Our little initiative from a few years ago has garnered recognition and put Peterson on the map as a quirky place to visit.”

Adds Boyum: “Many communities already possess something distinctive that defines them. We’re merely amplifying it every year, and it’s working for us — plus, we’re thoroughly enjoying it.”

Andrew Tellijohn is a freelance writer.