| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|    | Paul Bunyan as Art along the BywayA century has passed since Paul Bunyan’s heyday of logging in this area. But the Bunyan lore, legend and name carry on more robustly than ever. Public art along the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway driving route pays homage to the good fun and ageless tourism-attracting power of Paul Bunyan. Byway cities, Pine River, Pequot Lakes, Jenkins and Crosslake, have taken steps to capitalize on the public’s interest in ‘all things Paul’, and have developed some great public art items, or maybe public sculpture would be a more fitting term. The Pine River Chamber building has for years had a wooden replica of Paul Bunyan’s baby boots. People could stand in them for an interesting photo opportunity. In 2007, much bigger boots were fashioned that now stand proudly in the Pine River Chamber parking area providing a new Bunyan boot photo opportunity. Pequot Lakes, already home to Paul’s bobber, added Paul Bunyan’s chair in the little park near the bobber water tower. With the right photo equipment, this could be a ‘double Paul shot’ with both the chair and the bobber in one image. Crosslake sports Paul’s hammer in front of Ace Hardware store and an ice cream cone big enough for the logger himself in front of Lake County Crafts & Cones. Boardwalk Scoops, in Pequot Lakes, also offers a big ice cream cone. A more recent addition is a replica of Paul himself that stands proudly at the A-Pine Restaurant in Jenkins, on the corner of County Road 16 and Hwy 371. This year, giant footprints were also added throughout the driving route. 5’ x 14’ concrete footprints now reside in Pine River, Barclay Township, Jenkins, Ideal Township, Crosslake, Breezy Point and Pequot Lakes. Learn more fun free things to see and do along the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway. Pick up a Byway Map and Tour Guide at any local Chamber information center, or visit their web site PaulBunyanScenicByway.org. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northland Press | P.O. Box 145 | Outing, MN 56662 | (218) 692-5842 Email: news@northlandpress.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
