Introduction

Stop By The Rock Garden at Santa Fe College While on Tour with Friends and Family

Stop By The Rock Garden at Santa Fe College While on Tour with Friends and Family

Rock_Cycle_Garden_signThis is a one of a kind outdoor exhibit on the main campus of Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida. It features over twenty boulders, many weighing thousands of kilograms. These boulders were collected from different localities across the U.S.A.

Jean Klein
Jean Klein, chairman of the Natural Sciences Department at Santa Fe College for 13 years.

Construction on this exhibit was begun in 2003. It opened to the public in June of 2006. Rocks are displayed in an orderly sequence beginning with igneous, followed by sedimentary and continuing with metamorphic, finally bringing you back to the starting point. There is an informational panel at the beginning of the exhibit explaining the ROCK CYCLE and why the rocks are placed in the order in which they occur.

The Rock Cycle is dedicated to the memory of Jean Klein, a professor at Santa Fe College in Physical Science and Geology for thirty-five years until his death in 2003. Jean came to the U.S. from Alsace Lorraine, France as a young man just out of high school. He became interested in Geology while serving in the U.S. Army in Alaska. Jean was chairman of the Natural Sciences Department at Santa Fe College for 13 years. Jean was respected and admired by faculty and staff and inspirational to his students. He will always be remembered as a Scholar, Teacher and Friend.