Bemidji's Paul Bunyan statue experiences arm damage

BEMIDJI -- Bemidji's iconic statue of Paul Bunyan suffered a major separation in his right arm on Monday, mayor Jorge Prince announced in a Facebook post .

According to the post, the concrete in the top half of the roadside attraction’s right arm gave way. However, it remains attached by the rebar running throughout the statue.

The cause of the failure is being investigated and discussed with specialists from Jensen Conservation who will be onsite in the coming week to assess and fix the damage.

They will also be conducting additional conservation work, which had previously been planned for both Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. As of now, the arm has been secured, and barriers have been set up to keep visitors safe.

“I look forward to quickly getting Paul and Babe back in good repair along with addressing other issues in Paul Bunyan Park,” Prince said in the post.

1/3: Bemidji's iconic statue of Paul Bunyan suffered a major separation in his right arm on Monday. Photo courtesy of Jorge Prince.

2/3: Bemidji's iconic statue of Paul Bunyan suffered a major separation in his right arm on Monday. Photo courtesy of Jorge Prince.

3/3: Bemidji's iconic statue of Paul Bunyan suffered a major separation in his right arm on Monday. Photo courtesy of Jorge Prince.