Bemidji, Minnesota

Bemidji is a city in northern Minnesota, United States. It is the county seat of Beltrami County and had a population of about 14,574 in 2020. By 2022, the city's population was estimated to be around 15,946, making it an important commercial center between Grand Forks, North Dakota and Duluth.

The city is an important place for three Indian reservations: Red Lake, White Earth, and Leech Lake. Many services for Native American communities are based there, including the Indian Health Service. Bemidji is located on the southwest shore of Lake Bemidji, which is the northernmost lake that feeds into the Mississippi River. Because of this, it is called "The First City on the Mississippi."

Bemidji is also known as the "curling capital" of the United States and is said to be the birthplace of the legendary Paul Bunyan.

Etymology

The name Bemidji comes from the Ojibwe words Buh-mid-ji-ga-maug, which mean "a lake with crossing waters". This name describes how the Mississippi River flows through the lake. An Ojibwe leader named Shay-now-ish-kung moved to the area in 1882 and was the first person to settle there permanently. He told early settlers the name of the lake, but they thought it was his name, so they called him Chief Bemidji.

Sometimes, in Ojibwe, Bemidji is called Wabigamaang, meaning "at the lake channel/narrows", because part of the city is located near the narrow part between two lakes.

History

Beltrami County was created on February 28, 1866. Bemidji Township was surveyed by European Americans in 1874 and organized in 1896, just after the village of Bemidji was chartered.

Before the 1880s, about 50 Leech Lake Indians lived near the lake they called Bemidjigumaug, meaning "river or route flowing crosswise." The first homesteaders were Freeman and Besty Doud, followed by the Porter Nye family.

Bemidji became incorporated on May 20, 1896. By 1900, the village had grown to 2,000 people. Railroads arrived in 1898, bringing more business. Timber was a big industry, with large companies investing in the forests around Bemidji.

During the Great Depression, Bemidji’s businesses helped support government programs. After World War II, the lumber business grew again as many people needed new homes.

In the 1930s, a statue of the folkloric figure Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe, was created as a tourist attraction. The statues are among the most photographed in America, after only Mount Rushmore.

Parks and recreation

Bemidji is close to many beautiful places like Chippewa National Forest, Itasca State Park, Lake Bemidji State Park, and Big Bog State Recreation Area. There are lots of lakes nearby, plus many miles of trails for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.

The Paul Bunyan State Trail is great for walking, biking, snowmobiling, and skiing. There is also a bike trail around Lake Bemidji that is about 17 miles long. Every year, families enjoy biking around the lake with stops along the way.

There are many fun events in Bemidji, like Art in the Park, where artists show their work and sell things like wooden crafts, jewelry, and food. Thousands of people come to enjoy the festival. In August, there are exciting Dragon Boat races with food, games for kids, and music. Winterfest has lots of cold-weather fun, such as a polar plunge and sled races. The Paul Bunyan Triathlon and the Minnesota Finlandia Ski Marathon are also held here.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Bemidji covers a total area of 22.335 square miles (57.85 km²), with 17.440 square miles (45.17 km²) of land and 4.895 square miles (12.68 km²) of water.

Four-lane roads like U.S. Route 2, U.S. Route 71, and Minnesota State Highway 197 are important travel routes in the city. Other nearby highways include Minnesota State Highway 89 and Minnesota State Highway 371.

Climate

Bemidji has a humid continental climate with short, warm summers and long, severe winters. The average temperature is about 38.6 °F (3.7 °C). January is the coldest month, with temperatures usually between -5 °F (-21 °C) and 16 °F (-9 °C). July is the warmest month, with temperatures usually between 57 °F (14 °C) and 77 °F (25 °C).

The area gets about 46.7 inches (118.6 cm) of snow and 26.6 inches (676 mm) of rain each year. Lake Bemidji typically freezes in late November and thaws in late April.

Demographics

2020 census

According to the 2020 census, Bemidji had 14,574 people living there. The median age was 30.9 years. About 19.6% of the residents were younger than 18, and 17.4% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males.

Most people, about 95.9%, lived in urban areas. The population density was 999.6 people per square mile. There were 6,571 places to live, and 8.5% of them were empty.

About 22.5% of households had children under 18 living in them. Many households were led by one person, with 43.1% of all households made up of individuals.

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded 13,431 people in Bemidji. The population density was 1,039.6 people per square mile. There were 5,748 places to live.

The racial makeup was 81.3% White, 11.3% Native American, and smaller percentages of other groups. About 1.9% were Hispanic or Latino.

Nearly 25% of households had children under 18. Many households were made up of individuals, with 38.6% consisting of just one person. The average household size was 2.18, and the average family size was 2.83.

The median age was 27.1 years. About 19.4% of residents were under 18, and 14.8% were 65 or older. The gender makeup was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.

Economy

Bemidji's economy is strong, with a median household income of $65,939 and a mean household income of $84,374 as of the 2022 US Economic Census.

Major Employers

The city has many important employers that help keep the community going.

According to the City's 2021 report, some of the biggest employers in Bemidji are listed here.

Industries

Bemidji has many different types of jobs available for people aged 16 and older.

Government

Bemidji has a mayor and a council to help run the city. The council members are elected from five different areas called districts.

Politics

Presidential election results

Culture

The Concordia Language Villages near Bemidji help people learn languages like French, Chinese, Norwegian, Spanish, Italian, and German. In 2018, the Korean Language Village got a big grant to help more people learn Korean.

Bemidji has special signs in the Ojibwe language, which a leader from the Red Lake Ojibwe Nation praised in 2011.

During summer, you can watch plays at the Paul Bunyan Playhouse, and there’s also a community theatre. Bemidji has its own symphony orchestra that started in 1938.

Two big statues, Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, are popular spots for photos. They are near a tourist center where visitors can learn about fun things to do in the area. The center has old items related to Paul Bunyan’s story and a big book where tourists can sign their names. There’s also a special fireplace made from stones collected from all over the United States, Canada, and Minnesota parks.

Sports

Bemidji is a popular city for hockey fans. Bemidji State was a top hockey team in the 1980s and 1990s, reaching the championship game eight years in a row and winning five times. In 1999, the team moved up to a higher level but hasn’t won any titles there yet.

The city is also known for curling. Teams from the Bemidji Curling Club have represented the United States in big international events, including the 2005 World Curling Championship and the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics.

In 2010, the Sanford Center opened as a new home for the Bemidji State University hockey team. It also hosted the city’s first professional sports team, the Bemidji Axemen, from 2014 to 2015.

In 2019, Bemidji hosted Hockey Day Minnesota, a special three-day event featuring games on outdoor rinks. The Bemidji High School and Bemidji State University teams both played, along with the Minnesota Wild team.

The Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon started in 2013 and takes place every October. It includes races for kids, as well as 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and full marathon distances around Lake Bemidji.

Education

Bemidji has several places for learning, including Bemidji State University, Northwest Technical College, and Oak Hills Christian College. The city’s public schools are part of Independent School District 31 and include eight elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. There are also charter schools like TrekNorth Charter Jr. and Sr. High School and Voyagers Charter High School. Additionally, Bemidji has four private schools: St. Philip's Catholic School, St. Mark's Lutheran School, Kingdom Builders, and Heartland Christian Academy.

Regional center

Bemidji is an important place for shopping, arts, entertainment, education, health services, worship, and government services. The Bemidji area includes parts or all of Beltrami, Hubbard, Cass, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Pennington, Clearwater, and Mahnomen counties, along with the White Earth, Leech Lake, and the Sovereign Nation of Red Lake areas. In 2021, the population of the Bemidji area was estimated to be 200,259 people.

Media

Newspapers

The Bemidji Pioneer is the local newspaper, published twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It is owned by the Forum Communications Company and started as a weekly paper in 1896.

TV stations

Most TV stations in Bemidji show programs from the Twin Cities.

Radio stations

FM

AM

Magazines

• inBemidji is a lifestyle magazine about the Bemidji area, published four times a year. It started in December 2013 as inMagazine by The Bemidji Pioneer.
• Northwoods Woman was a magazine about women in northern Minnesota, published every two months from 2008 to 2013. It began in Bemidji, Walker, and Park Rapids.

Infrastructure

Major highways

Bemidji has several important roads nearby, including U.S. Highway 2, U.S. Highway 71, Minnesota State Highway 89, and Minnesota State Highway 197.

Air service

You can fly from Bemidji using the Bemidji Regional Airport. This airport has flights with three airlines: Delta Connection, Sun Country Airlines, and Bemidji Airlines. Bemidji Airlines is based in Bemidji and also does cargo flights. Corporate Air works with FedEx Express to handle cargo-only flights.

Notable people

Bemidji has been home to many interesting people. Some have served in government, like Rita Albrecht, who was the mayor of Bemidji from 2012 to 2020, and Russell A. Anderson, who became the Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Others have made their mark in sports and entertainment. Dave Casper was a well-known football player, while Joe Motzko played hockey professionally. In music, Gary Burger was the guitarist and lead singer for the band The Monks, and Mimi Parker played drums and sang for the band Low. Actress Jane Russell also lived in Bemidji.

The city has also been home to authors, such as Roy C. Booth and Kent Nerburn, as well as many state representatives and senators who helped shape Minnesota.

In popular culture

The first season of the TV show Fargo takes place in and around Bemidji and Duluth. Even though the show was filmed in Calgary, Alberta, the story happens in these Minnesota cities. The show stars Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks, and Martin Freeman.