The Wonderful Petersen Farm

A story that has been shared over the generations

I was once told a most heartwarming story about a cherished family farm that once stood where the Hunter Library now stands—right at 4800 West 4100 South in Granger, Utah. It was the home of Evelyn Hill Petersen and LeRoy Petersen—a place overflowing with love, hard work, laughter, and the kind of memories that last through generations.

Everyone in the extended family fondly called it “the wonderful, unforgettable, and loving Petersen farm.” It was the heartbeat of the area, neighbors and cousins enjoyed it magnificent beauty. including all the Petersen children and grandchildren

The stories that were shared paint a picture so vivid you can almost hear the creak of the barn doors and smell the warm earth after a summer rain. The children would climb to the top of the haystack in the barn and leap into soft piles of hay below. The old hay wagon became a teeter-totter playground. Plums from the trees were eaten straight off the branch, sweet and sun-warmed.

One story that never faded took place near the compost pit, where a few of the kids were playing when they discovered the bull had gotten loose. Scrambling onto the hay wagon in a panic, they screamed for help as the bull circled below, refusing to budge. That was the day LeRoy Petersen decided to get rid of the bull—and it’s a tale retold often, with laughter that outlasts the fear they felt that day.

After a long day's labor, LeRoy would settle into the large east room and eat a simple bowl of broken homemade bread soaked in warm milk with salt and pepper—his signature end-of-day comfort.

Evelyn Petersen had her own kind of everyday magic. One afternoon, she asked a grandchild to call in the cows for feeding. Try as they might, the cows wouldn’t come. But the moment Evelyn stepped outside and gave her trademark high-pitched call, the herd came running—proving again how things just seemed to work better in her hands.

There were always raw rolled oats in the cupboard—a curious but beloved treat the children would sneak by the handful. Evelyn never stopped moving. She walked with purpose all around her farm, fast enough that the children had to jog just to keep up. Her yard was always immaculate—one of the most beautifully maintained in the entire area. Every corner of the house and land reflected her pride and care. She poured her heart into everything she touched.

Perhaps most tender of all was her goodbye ritual. Whenever family or friends left the Petersen home, Evelyn would stand outside and wave—and keep waving—until they disappeared completely from view.

Though the farmhouse is now gone, replaced by the Hunter Library, the spirit of Petersen’s Farm still lingers in the soil and the stories. The land holds more than buildings ever could. It holds the legacy of Evelyn and LeRoy Petersen—a legacy of family, laughter, care, and connection that continues to echo in the hearts of all who remember.