Paul Bunyan Lives On In Bemidji

Town Adopts Identity of Legendary Lumberjack.

In 1936, the Rotary Club of Bemidji commissioned two statues, one of Paul Bunyan, and one his sidekick, Babe the blue ox.

Nearly 80 years later the shore line of Lake Bemidji has changed but Paul and Babe still welcome visitors to town.

Some things have changed, Midway Road is now Paul Bunyan Drive and the city is no longer dependant on logging as its main industry.

But it is still a legendary logger that brings people to town.

The Bemidji visitor’s center stands adjacent to the statues of Paul and Babe, and is a constant draw for tourists.

On average around 10,000 people sign the visitor’s center “Paul’s Guestbook”  each year.

The Paul Bunyan statue stands 18 feet tall and weighs more than 5,000 pounds. 

The statue was built by the Dickinson’s a local lumber family, with descendant’s still living in the Bemidji Area.

Suzanne Thomas is the granddaughter of Leonard Dickinson. 

Her uncle, Cyril owned the lumber yard where Paul was constructed of steel and concrete.

Thomas says the statues are a reminder of the old days in Bemidji, when the town was a logging camp. 

With Paul Bunyan themed street names, businesses and even an elementary school, the legacy of a Northwoods Logging Camp continues in Bemidji today.