OREM — To the family of Jorgen Nielsen, the bronze replica of their ancestor flanked by flowers and marking the entrance to an Orem park is a perfect memorial to his love of the land.
"Grandpa would be happy and proud," said Edith Dusenberry, Nielsen's great-granddaughter. "And I'm sure he is. Grandpa's dream upon coming to America was to own a large piece of land and create a park for people to enjoy."
The life-sized statue of the Danish native turned Orem gardener was unveiled Thursday and now welcomes visitors to a park that bears Nielsen's name at 1931 S. Sandhill Road in Orem.
Mayor Jerry Washburn thanked all those who had been involved with the creation and maintenance of Nielsen's Grove Park, which emphasizes Orem's rich agricultural history.
"Probably one of the very first of the farmers was Jorgen himself," Washburn said.
But Nielsen was also interested in growing flowers like those in his beloved Danish gardens, and he created numerous gardens and even had a removable dance floor in the park.
"This was a destination point at one time," Washburn said. "We hope this is now and will become an even greater destination point."
The park, dedicated in April 2006, has a fountain, reflecting pond, walkways, picnic pavilions, tulip gardens and a giant carousel swing. And now it has a sculpture of its founder.
Nielsen came to the U.S. after being converted by missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the early 1860s. He met and married his wife in Provo and then began transforming the Orem desert into gardens like those he loved in Odense, Denmark.
Sculptor Marvin Nelson worked from a photo of Nielsen in his 30s and told the audience that his first image for the statue was of the Danish horticulturist standing.
"It didn't seem right," Nelson said. "So I did another study of him kneeling. It shows that connection he had to the earth, and the love for the land. It was more of a respect for the earth by having him in a kneeling position."
Nelson also explained that the cactus and rough wood shown at the feet of Nielsen are to represent what the gardener faced in the desert state of Utah.
In his left hand, the sculpted Dane holds a rose bush, ready for planting.
"I chose that because it's so impractical," Nelson said with a smile. "You can't eat a rose, it's not used for industry in the 1800s. (But) he had such a love for nature (and a desire) to beautify the landscape. I wanted that rose to symbolize the beauty he loved so much."
The Nielsen sculpture is the first public sculpture for Nelson, although he has others in private collections or contests. Sculpted in clay, then cast in bronze, the hollow sculpture weighs nearly 350 pounds.
"I think it's beautiful," Dusenberry said.
"It's amazing," echoed her daughter, Karen C. Johnson. "That's just how I imagine Grandpa."
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