Cashing in on Paul & Babe

This weekend is the kickoff of the summer tourism season for Bemidji and if this year is like most others, Paul and Babe will have their pictures taken with thousands of visitors a month.

We know that Bemidji is the true home of Paul and Babe and we’ll defend our claim to the iconic folk heroes to anyone who will listen. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop towns from Washington to Maine, including several northern Minnesota towns– Hackensack, Akeley, Brainerd— from cashing in on Paul and Babe connections. But Paul and Babe are ours doggone it! Aren’t they?

A story in this week’s Northland Press, “Paul Bunyan Makes his Mark” made me wonder if Bemidji is doing all we can to capitalize on Paul Bunyan’s marketability. According to the story, Paul Bunyan’s footprints are appearing from Cross Lake to Pine River to mark the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway, which doesn’t even come near here. The concrete footprint size is based on the Paul Bunyan “baby” boots at the Pine River Chamber of Commerce. Pine River? What are they doing there?

Last year, the Brainerd Lakes Area Chamber used Babe in their promotion for the Oxtrot, “an expedition of art in the lakes area” that resulted in more than 30 custom painted and decorated Babe statues from Brainerd to Pequot Lakes.



The summer season is off and running. We had the first hummingbirds, orioles, and yellow finches at our feeders. I made my first rhubarb pie of the season and attended high school graduation parties. Visitors had their pictures taken in front of Paul and Babe, and another community co-opted our favorite folk heroes.