Babe the Blue Ox was the constant companion of Paul Bunyan. This mural graces the side of a former grocery store. Across Broadway Street West are a giant statue of Paul Bunyan and a museum/visitor center of the same name. At the start of the 20th century, Akeley had a population of about 3,500. Most were lumberjacks or people who worked in a local sawmill. Today the town has less than 500 residents. Other images and statues of Paul and Babe can be found in neighboring towns such as Bemidji and Brainerd, Minnesota.
