Bemidji in Beltrami County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Paul Bunyan and Babe

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 17, 2012

1. Paul Bunyan and Babe Marker

Inscription.
The statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe were both built in 1937 in connection with a January Winter Carnival. The 18-foot Paul weighs two-and-one-half tons and stands above five tons of concrete footings. Babe was originally built to be mobile, covered with canvas, and for two years was trucked in parades throughout Minnesota before returning in 1939 to be cemented down beside his friend, Paul. The two figures remain permanent symbols of Bemidji and its most colorful era of logging and lumberjacks.

American Legion, Ralph Gracie Post #14 • Bemidji, Mn.

Erected by American Legion, Ralph Gracie Post #14, Bemidji, Minnesota.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Landmarks. A significant historical year for this entry is 1937.

Location. 47° 28.227′ N, 94° 52.735′ W. Marker is in Bemidji, Minnesota, in Beltrami County. It is at the intersection of Bemidji Avenue North (State Highway 197) and 3rd Street Northwest, on the right when traveling north on Bemidji Avenue North. Marker and Paul Bunyan and Babe statues are located in a plaza on the south side of the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 Bemidji Avenue North, Bemidji MN 56601, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Minnesota’s Northland. It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Great North Woods,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

are within walking distance of this marker: Leader & Peacemaker (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Tragedy and Survival (about 600 feet away); Promises Made, Promises Broken (about 600 feet away); Shaynowishkung (about 600 feet away); First Reserve Unit in the United States Called into Active Service in World War I (about 600 feet away); Carnegie Library (approx. 0.2 miles away); Bemidji's Great Northern Depot (approx. ¼ mile away); Great Northern Depot (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bemidji.

Regarding Paul Bunyan and Babe. National Register of Historic Places #88000204 (1988)

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Also see . . . Paul Bunyan and Babe. (Atlas Obscura) Excerpt:

Town boosters, wanting to expand the tourist season beyond the few beautiful weeks in the summer, thought it a good idea to host a carnival in January 1937 showcasing the area’s wintertime offerings. Festivity organizers installed enormous statues of Paul and Babe to serve as carnival mascots, and they were so popular, particularly after their feature in Life magazine, that they were installed as permanent fixtures alongside Lake Bemidji for all to visit. Quirky roadside
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 17, 2012

2. Paul Bunyan and Babe Marker (tall view)
architecture is not particularly unusual. These two Bemidji statues, however, are among the earliest examples still standing. To recognize their significance, they were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

(Submitted on March 31, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Paul Bunyan and Babe Marker image. Click for more information.

via NPS, unknown

3. Paul Bunyan and Babe Marker

NPGallery: Digital Asset Management System website entry
Click for more information.

Babe Rotary Club Plaque image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 17, 2012

4. Babe Rotary Club Plaque

Paul Bunyan and Babe Statues image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 17, 2012

5. Paul Bunyan and Babe Statues

Credits. This page was last revised on October 28, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 31, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 557 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 31, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 3. submitted on December 6, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 4, 5. submitted on March 31, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.