The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers at

International Peace Garden
10939 Highway 281, Dunseith, North Dakota
(at the border of Manitoba, Canada)
June 10, 2012 AND August 23, 2015

NOTE: This page is a combination of photographs from 2012 and 2015. Photos are from 2015 unless otherwise noted.

USA map showing location of North Dakota
North Dakota map showing location of county and Dunseith
map showing location of the International Peace Garden and the USA and Canada

clipart of a history bookDevoted to World Peace, along the world’s longest unfortified border, lies a 2,339 acre Botanical Garden. The International Peace Garden is located north of Dunseith on the border between the USA border of North Dakota and the Canadian border of Manitoba as a symbol of friendship as a “One of a Kind” International Peace Garden. Reflecting pools and dazzling colorful floral displays of over 150,000 flowers (in season) splash across the grounds of the Formal Garden’s terraced walkways. (However, in 2012 the two RV Gypsies discovered that June 10th is just too early for most flowers to be blooming.)

The idea for the garden came from a Canadian member of the National Association of Gardeners, Dr. Henry Moore, who wished to commemorate the lengthy period of peace between the two nations.

The most visible monument is the Peace Tower, which was built in the 1980s as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations. The four pillars are meant to signify the coming together of people from the four corners of the world.

The state of North Dakota has The Peace Garden State as one of its nicknames, and places this motto on its license plates.

To reach the International Peace Garden, the two RV Gypsies drove past the USA Border Patrol Station (no need to stop) and just before the Canadian Border Patrol Station, they turned left into the campground and garden area. When you enter the International Peace Garden, you are technically leaving the USA and Canada.

Leaving the International Peace Garden, a passport is needed to enter the USA or to enter Canada. The International Peace Garden is partially in the USA and partially in Canada. The two photos below were taken after passing the USA boarder and before the Canadian border. So people leaving the USA do not need to stop and show a passport, but to enter Canada, they do need a passport. And people leaving Canada do not need to show a passport, but they do have to show the passport to enter the USA.

passing the USA border without stopping

the Canadian border

Below: The entrance to the International Peace Garden in-between the the United States of America border patrol station and the Canadian border patrol station.

International Peace Garden sign

International Border monument

entering International Peace Garden

Lee Duquette at the entrance to International Peace Garden

Below: The Cairn is located directly on the United States and Canadian Border, flanked by each country's flagpole on the designated side. The Cairn is built of aboriginal hammerheads collected by children in the surrounding areas. In July 17, 1960, the globe of red granite with etched meridian lines, a gift from Great Northern Railway company of St. Paul, Minnesota, as a memorial to its founder, Canadian born James J. Hill, was added to the top of the Cairn.

On the face of the Cairn it states: “To God in His Glory We two nations dedicate this garden and pledge ourselves that as long as men shall live we will not take up arms against one another.''

The border runs through the ball, and continues all the way to the Peace Tower which can be seen in the background of the photo. The Manitoba flag is a bit behind the Canadian flag and the North Dakota flag is a bit behind the USA flag, but they may not be easy to see in the photo below.

The original monument, erected in 1932

The original monument, erected in 1932 words

The original monument, erected in 1932

Below: Looking from the other side of the monument shown above, towards the entrance/exit.

The original monument, erected in 1932

Behind The Cairn, there is a map of the USA and a map of Canada in the circle of the road.

USA map in the street

Canada map in the street

Below 1st photo: Standing in the circle of maps shown above, looking past the formal gardens, two of the four towers can be seen. The Peace Poles in the foreground of the photo were presented to the Garden by the Japanese Government, seven Peace Poles in which, “May Peace Prevail” is written in twenty-eight different languages.

The second photo below was taken looking back up at the Cairn, the flag poles, and the entrance to the park.

two or the towers

seven Peace Poles

Below: In 2012, the two RV Gypsies stopped at a picnic area inside the International Peace Garden. It was a windy and cold day, but the scenery was still beautiful. That's when they had toad #2 which is otherwise known as MOB#2, Monster Out Back because it is a long truck to tow behind an RV. The current toad in 2015 is MOB#4 - Minimal Of Bling because it lacks luxuries.

The two RV Gypsies stop at a picnic area
Picnic area at International Peace Garden
Lee Duquette preparing lunch at Intenational Peace Garden
the toad of the two RV Gypsies at International Peace Garden

Below: The Peace Chapel which is located on the far side of the towers. The photos are mostly from 2012. The two RV Gypsies did not feel it necessary to retake the photos in 2015.

dedication sign for the Peace Chapel at International Peace Garden

dedication sign for the gardens and walkway at International Peace Garden

view of the Peace Chapel

view of the Peace Chapel

Entry to the Peace Chapel

sign about the soul of the garden

inside the Peace Chapel

The chapel features dozens of quotes from “People of Peace” etched into beautiful fossil embellished limestone walls. One example is shown below.

One of the many quotes on the walls inside the Peace Chapel

Below: In the distance, the 120-foot concrete Peace Tower. (2012 photos)

path to the Peach towers
path to the Peach towers

The 120-foot Peace Tower symbolize people from the four corners of the earth coming together to form two similar, but distinct nations, with a common base of democracy and beliefs. Two of The Peace Towers are in the United States and two are in Canada.

The Peace Tower sign

Peace Towers

The 120 foot Peace Tower dwarfs the person standing near it. (2012 photo)

Below: Looking up at the sky
from below the Peace Tower. (2012)

The Peace Tower and a person who looks very small by it

looking up at the sky from below the Peace Tower

sign dedicating the International Peace Tower

Below: Standing under the Peace Tower looking towards the Peace Chapel, and then looking towards the garden area. (2012 photos)

Standing under the Peace Tower looking towards the Peace Chapel.

Standing under the Peace Tower looking towards the garden area.

Below: The legs and feet of the two RV Gypsies, each with one foot in the USA and one foot in Canada. (2012 photo taken under the Peace Tower)

legs and feet of the two RV Gypsies

UNHAPPY FACETHE TWO RV GYPSIES WERE SURPRISED TO SEE A FENCE AROUND THE TOWERS IN 2015 due to falling debris, so they must be torn down!

fence

The Peace Towers in 2015 with fence

The Peace Towers in 2015 with fence

The two RV Gypsies are very upset to know that this important landmark will not be here much longer, even though they know that something else will eventually replace it. They feel very privileged that they got to actually stand under it in 2012.

sign: The Tower's story

The good news is that between the towers and the Peace Chapel, there is an area and a pole where the two RV Gypsies were also able to be in both the United States and Canada at the same time.

 

Below in 2012: Karen Duquette is seated by the pole with one hand pointing to the USA side of the pole and one hand pointing to the Canada side of the pole.

Karen Duquette in both the USA and Canada

Karen Duquette in both the USA and Canada

Love it

Below: Karen Duquette in 2015, in the USA and Canada.

Karen is in the USA, and Lee is in Canada.

Karen Duquette sitting both in the USA and  Canada at the same time.

Karen is in the USA, and Lee is in Canada

Below: The pole showing which side is the the USA side and which side is the Canadian side.

USA side of pole

canada side of pole

Below - Peace literally rings in the International Peach Garden as the Carillon Bell Tower rings every fifteen minutes and on the hour. The familiar strains of Westminster Chimes can be heard throughout the park. The beautiful resonant tones echo from the bells of the Sifton Chime in the Veterans’ Memorial Bell Tower, which was erected in 1976. As a memorial to their mother, Lady Sifton’s four sons donated the chimes to the First United Church of Brandon, Manitoba in 1932. When the church reorganized in 1969, the chimes were donated to the International Peace Garden.

sign about the Bell Tower

the Carillon Bell Tower.

The Bell Tower 2015

Above photo of the Bell Tower is from 2012.
The photo at the right is from 2015.

Below: The two RV Gypsies by the Carillon Bell Tower at International Peace Garden in 2012. Karen Duquette looks very small next to the tall tower.

Lee Duquette at the Carillon Bell Tower.

Karen Duquette at the Carillon Bell Tower.

History bookA carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in the bell tower (belfry) of a church or municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to produce a melody, or sounded together to play a chord. A traditional manual carillon is played by striking a keyboard the stick-like keys of which are called batons with the fists, and by pressing the keys of a pedal keyboard with the feet. The keys mechanically activate levers and wires that connect to metal clappers that strike the inside of the bells, allowing the performer on the bells, or carillonneur/carillonist to vary the intensity of the note according to the force applied to the key.

The carillon is the heaviest of all extant musical instruments. In medieval times, swinging bells were first used as a way of notifying people of fires, storms, wars, and other events. A ringing of bells from the lowest note to the highest note indicated that an attack had taken place. The use of bells in a musical fashion originated in the 16th century in the Low Countries. The first carillon was in Flanders, where a "fool" performed music on the bells of Oudenaarde Town Hall in 1510 by making use of a baton keyboard. The word "carillon" is from the French quadrillon, meaning four bells. Bell towers were often used to alert the city of the time of day, and just before the strike of the hour bell a few higher tones were struck to gain the attention of the city-folk.

close-up of the bell in the Bell Tower

Below: Standing in front of the Bell Tower, the 120-foot concrete Peace Tower, can be seen at the end of the formal garden. (2012 photos)

the 120-foot concrete Peace Tower in the distance

the 120-foot concrete Peace Tower in the distance

Below: Across the grassy area from the Bell Tower is the 9/11 Memorial Site with twisted steel girders rescued from the World Trade Center devastation. They rest there, a symbol of peace and democracy. (2012 photos)

sign about the 9/11 Memorial Project at the International Peace Garden

twisted steel girders rescued from the World Trade Center devastation

twisted steel girders rescued from the World Trade Center devastation

twisted steel girders rescued from the World Trade Center devastation

sign - Let Peace Prevail

sign with names of firefighters at the World Trade Center

sign about military action at the World Trade Center

sign about The World Trade Center Tragedy

sign about The World Trade Center Tragedy

sign about the after effects of the World Trade Center tragedy

Below: New in 2015 - this piece of art is presently in the gift shop area, by the cactus garden, but it will be moved to the fountain soon.

new piece of art in 2015 - dove of friendship

new piece of art in 2015 - dove of friendship

new piece of art in 2015 - dove of friendship

Below: Another area where the two RV Gypsies stood in one spot and was in both Canada and the USA at the same time in 2015. They did not go by this spot in 2012.

USA side of pole

Canada side of pole

Below; Karen Duquette ready to stand in two Countries at the same time - Lee Duquette said she looked like a scarecrow.

Karen Duquette ready to stand in two Countries at the same time

Karen Duquette the scarecrow

Below: Karen was not sure what Lee was thinking when he posed by the pole.

Lee Duqette in two countries at the same time

Below: Wow! Karen Duquette photographed a view of the pole and the Peace Towers all in one photo.

the pole and the Peace Towers

go to the next adventure of the two RV GypsiesPlease continue on to page 2 of the International Peace Gardens - the Gardens