Petrified portions of Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia) trees were donated to the city of Bend by “Klondike Kate” Rockwell (1876-1957). An avid rockhound, she discovered these petrified wood stumps on her homestead near Brothers, Oregon, and they were brought to this location by the Bend Fire Department in 1934. Kate achieved fame and fortune as a vaudeville dancer during the Klondike Gold Rush of the early 20th century. Dawn Redwood grew abundantly throughout the high desert of Central Oregon some 30 million years ago.