Broken Paul Bunyan in Bemidji Gets “Sling” and “Brace” [PHOTOS]
The Paul Bunyan statue in Bemidji, MN is currently fixed up with a makeshift sling and brace after suffering a broken arm.
On Monday Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince took to Facebook to reveal that the iconic statue of Paul Bunyan had suffered a rather severe boo boo. "Earlier today, our iconic statue of Paul Bunyan suffered a major separation in his right arm as the concrete gave way," he wrote. "His arm remains attached by the rebar that runs throughout him." Initial photos show a break in Bunyan's arm just beneath his shoulder as well as a separation of his hand where it used to connect to his leg.
The cause of the separation is unknown and being investigated, and a conservation company is scheduled to visit the site to assess and repair next week. In the meantime, new photos posted to the Facebook page for Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox show Paul's arm secured in a "sling" and held up by a "cast."
The photos have garnered a fair amount of attention and comments.
"I'm beginning to feel like Paul looks," joked one Rick Olson.
"Wow. And I thought MY second vaccine shot was rough," joked Jolene Tarvin. "It only felt like my arm was going to fall off..."
"I am sad that Paul and Babe haven’t been given the respect and the care commensurate with their contribution and value to Bemidji," commented Leona Winters. "People aren’t exactly lining up to take pictures with the Downtown Bemidji arch. Just sayin’."
"Oh this makes me so sad,' said Nancy Hofstad. "Such iconic figures I grew up with. Think of the thousands of people that have taken their vacation pictures with them. Hope they can get all fixed up."
According to the Facebook page for Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, the roadside attraction has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1988 and was -- purportedly -- named the second most-photographed statues in the US by Kodak Company. Paul Bunyan stands 18 feet tall and 5 feet wide at the base.