Paul Bunyan’s gigantic likeness appears all across Minnesota. Legend has it, the state’s 10,000 lakes were made by Paul’s footprints as he trampled across the land. However, only one location in the state claims to be home to his final resting place, a camping ground known as Paul Bunyan Memorial Park. Beyond the headstone that notes “Here lies Paul, and that’s all” is a 20-foot grass-covered mound signifying the mythical man’s imposing stature.
This memorial is one of the only burial sites created for a fictitious character in the world. It’s not clear when the gravesite was officially installed, though it notes that Paul Bunyan lived from 1794 to 1893 and Beltrami county produced an “official” death certificate on June 14, 1955.
The gravesite is located in Kelliher, a town named after a lumber businessman and just outside Pine Island State Forest, the largest state forest in Minnesota. So, it may not be not surprising that the town of 262 inhabitants has a soft spot for the lumberjack legend.
