The statues of folk legend Paul Bunyan and his blue ox Babe have stood in Bemidji, Minnesota, since 1937. (PHOTO: Matt Olson, Creative Commons license)
It’s not terribly difficult to find likenesses of Paul Bunyan and his trusted blue ox Babe in Northern Minnesota. And if it’s not Paul, it’s some cockamamie relative or ex-girlfriend that a town dreamed up as a hook. But among the most iconic Paul Bunyan and Babe statues are the pair you see in Bemidji, Minnesota, one of the two major towns that claims Paul Bunyan’s fictional heritage. (The other is Brainerd, and I am not taking sides on this pretend controversy).
One major tradition for the Bemidji Paul Bunyan and Babe is changing, however, after a recent action by the Bemidji City Council. The folkish duo will no longer be dressed up for special occasions or to promote community events.
Some felt that the there was risk in letting Paul or his hoofed pal advertise for local groups because there would be no way to turn down a controversial group’s request to promote their events. Further, tourists had complained that they came to see the real Paul and Babe, not some theme Paul and Babe crafted by bored locals.
It’s truly the end of an era. Paul Bunyan and Babe still stand sentry over the shores of Lake Bemidji, but will face the bitter cold winds of winter without so much as a decorative sweater or scarf.
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