Bemidji, MN Summary

Bemidji is known far and wide for its original statue of the legendary logger Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox. The town of 11,200 is located 120 miles west of Duluth in the north-central part of the state. The lake it surrounds, Lake Bemidji, is fed by the Mississippi River, which originates 31 miles north in Itasca State Park. Within about a 50-mile radius of Bemidji is some of the best fishing in the state.

Large lakes in the area include Bemidji—”lake with crossing waters” in the Chippewa Native American tongue—Leech Lake, Cass Lake, the Cass Lake Chain of Lakes, and Lake Winnibigoshish. Panfish such as perch and crappie are abundant, as are northern pike, muskie, and walleye. Supplies of largemouth bass and trout are also plentiful.

During winter, ice fishing, cross-country skiing and downhill skiing at Buena Vista Ski Area, which offers 15 groomed downhill runs as well as a network of groomed cross-country trails, are popular.

The Paul Bunyan Trail, a 100-mile paved multi-purpose route between Bemidji and Brainerd, is the longest snowmobiling course in the state. It is located in Lake Bemidji State Park, about 5 miles north of town. Bog Walk, at 2 miles, is a self-guided interpretive nature trail that leads into a tamarack- black spruce bog. A number of species of orchids are found here, including the state flower, the showy lady’s slipper. The bog is also home to unusual insectivorous plants, such as pitcher plants and sundew.

Bemidji began as a trading post, later flourishing as a logging town. Dairy cows and farming replaced the lumber industry when timber supplies were depleted. New growth and controlled harvesting have rejuvenated the lumber industry, which is again a major livelihood.

The famous Paul Bunyan statue reaches a height of 18 feet. Constructed in 1937 beside Lake Bemidji, it shows Paul in a redcheckered shirt with a broad black moustache, blue-billed cap, and red socks, standing beside the wide horns, wide eyes, and pale-blue cast of his faithful ox, Babe. It’s a whimsical, playful depiction of simple lines and texture that long remains in the memory. The logging hero also gives his name to Bemidji’s Paul Bunyan Playhouse, Minnesota’s oldest summer theater, located in the Chief Theater.

The Bemidji Tourist Center offers a collection of Paul Bunyan memorabilia. Its Fireplace of the States was built with stones from each of the 50 states as well as from several Minnesota counties and the provinces of Canada.

Nearby Liberty Park has a statue of “Chief Bemidji,” whose proper name is Shay Now Ish Kung. The Carnegie Library Building, which is listed on the National Historic Register, houses the Bemidji Community Art Center.

Bemidji can be reached by car by US-2 and US-71, and by bus.

The closest airports are in nearby Hibbing and Moorhead.