Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox Webcam in Bemidji

Every city has a few stories or more to tell about its founding days. Some of them are true and can be proved by researching facts. Others are not, but have become so entwined in the city’s culture that they may as well be. And, like Bemidji in Minnesota, they’re not shy of boasting about their historical figures whether they’re real or just a character from a well-spun fictional legend.

Bemidji lays claim to being the birthplace of Paul Bunyan, a mythical lumberjack with a blue ox, Babe, as a mascot. In Bemidji they don’t honor their adopted character with a stereo-typical bronze statue. In Bemidji they really went for it in a big way. Big as in a five and a half metre-high full colour cement representation of Mr Bunyan and a three metre-high representation of Babe. They are, and were designed to be, traffic stoppers which since their installation in the late 1930s have served their purpose well.

While the legend of Paul Bunyan and his bovine best friend is interesting, what’s more fascinating about Bemidji is the origins of its name. Bemidji is located on the shores of Lake Bemidji. A natural lake through which the Mississippi River flows. The name Bemidji to the Ojibwa Native Americans who initially inhabited the area means water crossing the lake. It’s nice to know the name has stood the test of time, because statues of mythical lumberjack’s may be eye-catching, but that’s real history.