Paul Bunyan is a giant lumberjack and folk hero in American and Canadian folklore. His exploits revolve around the tall tales of his superhuman labors, and he is customarily accompanied by Babe the Blue Ox. The character originated in the oral tradition of North American loggers, and was later popularized by freelance writer William B. Laughead (1882–1958) in a 1916 promotional pamphlet for the Red River Lumber Company. He has been the subject of various literary compositions, musical pieces, commercial works, and theatrical productions. His likeness is displayed in several oversized statues across North America.
Interstate 94 (I-94) is an east–west Interstate Highway connecting the Great Lakes and northern Great Plains regions of the United States. Its western terminus is in Billings, Montana, at a junction with I-90; its eastern terminus is in Port Huron, Michigan, where it meets with I-69 and crosses the Blue Water Bridge into Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, where the route becomes Ontario Highway 402. It thus lies along the primary overland route from Seattle to Toronto, and is the only east–west Interstate highway to have a direct connection to Canada. I-94 intersects with I-90 several times: at its western terminus; Tomah to Madison in Wisconsin; in Chicago, and in Lake Station, Indiana. Major cities that I-94 connects to are Billings; Bismarck; Fargo; Minneapolis–Saint Paul; Madison; Milwaukee; Chicago; and Detroit.
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.
Bemidji Township is a township in Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,134 as of the 2010 census.
Northern Township is a township in Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 4,657 as of the 2010 census.
Hackensack is a city in Cass County, Minnesota, United States. As of 2020, the city's population was 244. It is part of the Brainerd Micropolitan Statistical Area. Although the population is small, it is located within a ten-mile radius of 127 lakes, so during the warm months there is plenty of business. The city center is home to gift stores, the Big Dipper ice cream shop and restaurant, Udom's Thai restaurant, Lucette's Pizza and Pub, and much more.
Nisswa is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,971 at the 2010 census. Nisswa is part of the Brainerd Micropolitan Statistical Area, near Gull Lake. It is a popular tourist destination due to its many unique stores, including Stonehouse Coffee, a coffee shop and cafe that roasts beans in the store, Adirondack Coffee, the first gourmet coffee shop in central Minnesota, The Chocolate Ox, an ice cream parlor and candy shop, and Zaiser's shoe store. The Paul Bunyan State Trail runs through Nisswa.
Akeley is a city in Hubbard County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 432 at the 2010 census.
Northome is a city located in the southwestern corner of Koochiching County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 200 at the 2010 census. The county seat is International Falls, about 70 miles (110 km) away.
Park Rapids is a city in the Heartland Lakes region and is the county seat of Hubbard County, Minnesota, United States. It is near Itasca State Park, the source of the Mississippi River, as well as the beginning of the Heartland State Trail. The city was founded in 1890 near the Fish Hook River rapids and is located along U.S. Highway 71 and Minnesota State Highway 34. The population was 3,709 at the 2010 census.
Lake Bemidji is a small glacially-formed lake, approximately 11 square miles in area, in northern Minnesota in the United States. Located less than 50 miles (80 km) downstream from the source of the Mississippi River, it both receives and is drained by the Mississippi.
Lake Bemidji State Park is a state park of Minnesota, United States, on the north shore of 6,765-acre (27.38 km2) Lake Bemidji. The northern half of the park preserves a spruce-tamarack bog. A district of National Park Service rustic structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and National Youth Administration in the 1930s is on the National Register of Historic Places. The park is located 5 miles (8.0 km) north of the city of Bemidji.
Paul Bunyan is a mythical lumberjack.
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox are the names of a pair of large statues of the American folk hero Paul Bunyan and his ox, located in Bemidji, Minnesota. This roadside attraction has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1988.
U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) is a highway in northwest and northeast Minnesota, which runs from the Red River at East Grand Forks and continues east to Duluth, where the route crosses the Richard I. Bong Memorial Bridge over the Saint Louis Bay. The route connects the cities of East Grand Forks, Bemidji, Grand Rapids, and Duluth.
The Heartland State Trail is a multi-use recreational rail trail in north-central Minnesota, USA. It runs 49 miles (79 km) between Park Rapids and Cass Lake, intersecting with the Paul Bunyan State Trail around Walker. The entire route is paved, with a parallel grass trackway along the southern half for horseback riding and mountain biking. The northern half of the trail has some parallel trackway for snowmobiles. A 4-mile (6.4 km) segment north of Walker traverses very hilly terrain to appeal to snowmobilers; other users can follow a marked alternate route on paved road shoulders.
The Mississippi River Trail, also known as MRT or U.S. Bicycle Route 45, is a designated bicycle and pedestrian trail that traverses the shores of the Mississippi River in the United States. The trail extends from the headwaters at Lake Itasca in Minnesota to near the mouth of the river in Venice, Louisiana. Much of the trail’s 3,000 miles (4,800 km) follows roadways used by motor vehicles, although some of the route is on multi-use trails.
Since the folkloric hero Paul Bunyan's first major appearance in print, the character has been utilized to promote a variety of products, locations, and services. The giant lumberjack's mass appeal has led him to become a recurring figure in entertainment and marketing, appearing in various incarnations throughout popular culture.
The Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon is a race in Bemidji, Minnesota, first run in 2013. The race runs around a lake, along a state trail and through a state park. It takes place in October, when many of the forest surroundings are bright with color.
Minnesota Scenic Byways are a system of roads in the U.S. state of Minnesota which pass through areas of scenic, cultural, or recreational significance. There are currently 22 scenic byways in the system with a total length of 2,948 miles (4,744 km). Eight of these byways are also designated as National Scenic Byways, and the North Shore Scenic Drive is further designated as an All-American Road.
