Michigan’s “Dinosaur Gardens” celebrates its 90th birthday! Twenty-seven life-sized dinosaur sculptures have stood proudly along a half-mile, fern-dressed, rocky path for nine decades. There’s an 18 hole miniature golf course with the greens shaped like dinosaurs. A mining sluice has been added, where one can uncover gems and fossils.

For ninety years Dinosaur Gardens has continued to delight visitors! Located along US-23 in Ossineke, Michigan, near Alpena, it’s worth a visit! It’s open daily 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, during the better-weather months.

Who built these sculptures? How have these models lasted 90 years? Join us for a peek into the “Prehistoric” past of Dinosaur Gardens and Paul N. Domke, the folk artist who created these actual-sized, enormous lizards.

Paul N. Domke

Paul Domke grew up along the shores of Lake Huron at the northern tip of Michigan’s lower peninsula in Presque Isle. His no-nonsense, German immigrant family farmed the land in the early 1900’s. As a youngster Paul found personal rewards when sketching and inventing, but there had always been work that needed to be done, so his creativity had often been set aside.

During his four years in the United States Navy, Paul found time to study and draw creatures from various museums around the globe including regular visits to the Smithsonian. The boney silhouettes of dinosaurs gave him the framework for sketching these gigantic lizards in their true-life form.

When his tour of duty had ended, Paul returned to northern Michigan, where he practiced farming as he’d done in his early years. Yet, Paul’s creative curiosity continued to simmer and led him down an artistic path.

Right before the Great Depression, Paul relocated to Detroit where he worked as an interior designer for church sanctuaries. He found this satisfying, but sadly as finances tightened in 1930, the artistic jobs were the first to end.

With some savings in his pocket, Paul returned north to Ossineke, Michigan. Paul purchased a swamp, drained the water and built a home for himself, a few cottages to rent and a gas station. During this time he met and married Lora. Shortly after their wedding, the couple adopted three nephews who had been orphaned.

With the gas station providing financial security for their family, Paul’s creative skills took hold. He hired locals, a welcomed offer in the early 1930″s, to clear trails and lay cement foundations for massive dinosaur sculptures he had planned to build.

Initially, Paul had constructed the first models using Plaster of Paris, but these figures flaked and wouldn’t hold up to the outdoor elements. A different compound would be needed. A chemist friend helped Paul design a ‘secret recipe’ which they called ‘plastic cement.’ This hand-mixed concoction included deer hair, oil, asphalt and lime which produced a long-lasting, malleable concrete.

Roland Schaedig – Nephew

Roland Schaedig, one of the three adopted nephews, told Carolyn Kraus, “It was my job to take a trowel and slap the mortar onto the steel frames he’d built.” His Uncle Paul would then carve into the malleable “plastic cement,” sculpting details. Roland’s Uncle Paul would carefully follow the sketch of his dinosaur drawing hung on a nearby tree. The process had been meticulous.

Roland Schaedig recalled his Uncle Paul reciting proverbs and German quotes instead of making small talk while they worked. Roland’s favorite saying was “Save up your nickels and save up your rocks, and you’ll always have tobacco in your old tobacco box.”

As a retired Samaritan Health Center chaplain from Ann Arbor, Roland Schaedig raised his brow and shook his head, “It was different growing up in a prehistorical zoo. My aunt and uncle were stern people and I remembered being rather frightened of them.”

Ilse Kuhl

Ilse Kuhl, Paul’s niece, had stayed with Paul until his passing at 94 years old in 1981. Paul’s home had been a shrine of invention, capturing brilliance of design. Not only had Paul been the architect of his house, but also many useful items inside as well. Apparently, everywhere one looked, Paul had designed something from cookie cutters to the ironing board. Paul had styled an old car axle into a lamp. He even had “Paulora Boulevard,” named for himself and his wife, a utopian community all planned out on paper.

“He wasn’t good at people,” Mrs. Kuhl admitted to Carolyn Kraus, “Some days, Domke was very rude to the visitors,”

Wilma McCort – Neighbor / Owner

Back in the 1930’s Wilma McCort enjoyed getting up early and secretly watching Paul, her neighbor across the street, already at work building the dinosaur forms. Wilma, recalled a childhood memory to Carolyn Kraus. She had watched Paul huff across the road to her house and explain to her family, “We don’t neighbor.”

In 1960 Frank and Wilma McCort purchased Dinosaur Gardens. Their son, Frank Jr., remembered Paul Domke and told journalist, Carolyn Kraus, “If he thought a question was trivial, he would brush it off. He’d just say, ‘None of your business.’ “

Frank and Wilma McCort successfully operated Dinosaur Gardens. In 1980 there had been some land contract mishaps with another party, when Frank Jr. and his wife, Judy, stepped into ownership.

Frank Jr. and Judy McCort – Owners

Frank Jr. and Judy McCort added an 18 hole miniature golf course which has drawn in the young and old alike. The business ran steadily.

Gary and Connie Stephan – Owners

Gary and Connie Stephan took ownership in 2013. They have constructed a miners’ sluice where one can discover fossils and gems. As well, the couple built a pavilion for parties. “We have traveled all over the United States looking at other replicas and we’ve never seen anything as good as Mr. Domke’s dinosaurs. He was a true artist in his own in concrete and steel.”

Over the past dozen years Dinosaur Gardens has been featured in a Superbowl commercial, a Moosejaw Clothing ad and in “Hot Air,” a Hollywood movie.

Nicole Godfrey – Marketing Director

Nicole Godfrey is the head of marketing and promotions. “It’s such a special family place you can visit.” She shared with Carolyn Kraus. “When you’re walking into Dinosaur Gardens, you’re walking into past, present and future memories for every person.”

David Rude

David Rude contacted us with his own memories of visiting Dinosaur Gardens and the nearby statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe, the Blue Ox. These monuments had been completed by folk artist, Paul Domke, as well as the dinosaurs. These statues were on a hill, alongside a gift shop and a petting zoo.

Chuck and I found the renditions of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox! We highly recommend a trip to Dinosaur Gardens to take in the full-sized dinosaur sculptures which have lasted nine decades!

Resources:

Dinosaur Gardens website
The Alpena News “Dinosaur Gardens Celebrating 90 Years” article September 15, 2025
The Museum of Americana “The Art of Extinction” article By Carolyn Kraus
Dinosaur Gardens Facebook page
David Rude
Atlas Obsura page
History of Domke’s Dinosaur Gardens Besser Museum flier