I have to be honest, The Paul Bunyan State Forest is one of my all-time favorite places in Minnesota. Let me tell you why. This area, outside Park Rapids, is near and dear to me for several reasons but most notably because it is where I, a self-professed Paul Bunyan expert, believe the idea for […]
To celebrate one of my favorite days of the year, here are 10 of my favorite Paul Bunyan stops! 1. Paul Bunyan Days 2. Paul Bunyan’s Fishing Bobber 3. Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox in Bemidji 4. Pequot Lakes Paul 5. Paul and Babe at Bentleyville 6. Rapid River Logging Camp 7. Walleye […]
This past weekend was the 70th Annual Paul Bunyan Days Festival in Akeley. Some say 68th, some say 69th, but most residents say 70th and I tend to follow local lore. The large, crouching Paul Bunyan statue created by Dean Krotzer has become Akeley’s claim to fame. The mythical lumberjack is directly tied to Akeley’s […]
Did you know that Pequot Lakes is the home of Paul Bunyan’s Fishing Bobber? Yep, it totally is! A major landmark, “The World’s Largest Fishing Bobber” sits in Bobber Park. Built in 1960, the former water tower’s claim-to-fame began in 1987 when a when the water tower needed to be painted and then-council member Dale […]
The Bentleyville Tour of Lights should be a winter tradition for everyone! What better way to get into the holiday spirit than strolling through America’s largest, free, walk-through lighting display? Bentleyville, in Duluth’s Bayfront Festival Park, features more than 4 million lights across 20-acres off the shores of Lake Superior. Enter by way of the […]
When people ask what my grad work is in, it often comes as a surprise when I say Paul Bunyan. So when I found out about the Rapid River Logging Camp in Park Rapids, a nod to all things lumberjack, I jumped at the chance to check it out. Logging Camp was featured in a movie […]
If you’ve ever driven through Garrison, you have a most certainly passed by the giant Walleye sculpture sitting in Garrison Concourse Wayside Park. It is located on the southeast edge of town, off the shore of Lake Mille Lacs, waving passersby with a warm “Welcome to Garrison!” The Minnesota state legislature designated the Walleye as […]
Most people don’t think of Duluth as a beach town. Home to Minnesota Point, also called Park Point, the longest freshwater sand bar in the world. From where I stand, although covered in ice, the beach is located at the western tip of Lake Superior. Created by silt and sand deposition from the Nemadji and […]
When it comes to Paul Bunyan lore, I will go just about anywhere to follow in his exploits. The World’s Largest Walleye in Rush City, caught by none other than the Mackinaw-wearing gargantuan was no exception. Weighing in at a whopping 1,999 pounds, 15.5 ounce and enticed by a 35 pound Tiger Muskie and brought […]
Fall is a good time to explore, not only outdoors, but to stop in to historical places to take the chill off. I chose the Beltrami County History Center in Bemidji. With neo-classical architecture dating back to its construction in 1912, the museum sits in the Great Northern Depot, the last depot built by Railroad […]
What trip to Bemidji would be complete without stopping by to see the most famous mythical lumberjack of all time? My oldest friend in the world, Ben, and I saw Paul Bunyan and his trusty sidekick Babe, the blue ox. Created in 1937, standing 18ft tall, this fridge-shaped Paul is rumored to be the first […]
Found another one just outside Pequot Lakes!
Paul Bunyan Statue in Akeley.
