Battle of the Bunyans: Who Has the Best Paul Bunyan Statue?

Bangor claims to be the birthplace of the lumber industry as well as a well-known mythical lumberman. But Bangor is not the only place you can find a Paul Bunyan Statue; there are at least five others. But is Bangor's Paul the best?

We figured since today (June 28) is Paul Bunyan Day, it was a good day to ask.

Bangor's Bunyan boasts an impressive height of 31 feet and weighs a diet-worthy 3,700 lbs, and has stood on Bangor's Main Street since 1959. The plaque on the base of the statue suggests that Bangor's Bunyan is the largest; however, this may not be entirely true.

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared in 2015.

There are other Paul Bunyan statues throughout the country; the most similar to ours is the Bunyan in the Kenton neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. Not only did they take our statue idea, but they made him the exact same height and in the same year. Portland's Bunyan is possibly the most popular, as it became part of the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

One of the things noticeably missing from Bangor's Bunyan is his buddy Babe the Blue Ox. This is something that Bemidji, Minnesota says sets their Bunyan apart from ours.

The rivalry between the two Bunyans has been ongoing for years and came to a head in 2014 when a proposal to build a Babe in Bangor was presented. Bangor residents were quick to judge Bemidji's Bunyan and Babe, saying things about the craftsmanship of the statue, calling it juvenile and saying it looked like it was created from papier-mache.

It's still up in the air whether Bangor will ever get a Babe statue, leaving Bemidji thinking they are still the best. We say we let them keep their minuscule 20-foot-tall statue and ox because Bangor's Bunyan has the best reviews of all the Bunyans in the nation, according to TripAdvisor.

With more than 100 reviews, the majority agree Bangor's Bunyan is the best! Most of the few negative comments about the statue were about how difficult it was to get to and what an eyesore the surrounding area was during the construction of the Cross Insurance Center. Only one reviewer thought the statue was a total waste, saying, "The statue isn't near any wood that needs to be chopped, and he's just boring. Even a purple Ox would improve this landmark". Yes, the reviewer actually said PURPLE ox.

Other than that, most residents and visitors agree they are happy to see Bangor's Bunyan's handsome, smiling face on Main Street. He may, in fact, be the only Mainer who loves all four seasons, keeping his smile even while being exposed to snow, ice, rain, and humid summers. He also sported a giant Fez hat for a Shriner Convention and a blanket-sized bandanna when Willie Nelson came to town, and that is why Bangor's Bunyan is best!