August 5, 2021

BEMIDJI, MN

“Bemidji is a city and the county seat of Beltrami County, in northern Minnesota, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates Bemidji's population as of 2019 at 15,434, making it the largest commercial center between Grand Forks, North Dakota and Duluth.” Wikipedia

I remember going to Bemidji with my parents as a young child. Paul Bunyan and Babe are etched into my mind. So, naturally since I was in the area I had to return to check out this boyhood memory.

The visitors center, where the statues of my memories reside, is on Lake Bemidji, right next to where the fledgling Mississippi River flows into the lake. The statues of Paul and Babe were right there, maybe not as towering as I remembered, but impressive nonetheless. The statues appeared to be popular with people of my age just as much as they were with much younger children. It seemed everyone wanted their picture with Paul and Babe.

There were a couple other statues nearby paying homage to the Native American heritage that is celebrated in the area.

I didn’t spend a lot of time in Bemidji, but I’m glad I got to relive this childhood memory.