Rumford’s Paul Bunyan
A 19 foot tall mighty fiberglass woodsman and his seemingly diminutive companion, Babe the Blue Ox stands at the Information Center, welcoming visitors to Rumford, having moved across the street from his old home in Front of Puiias Hardware, and Town and Country. Rumford’s Paul Bunyan statue was manufactured by International Fiberglass, who made a lot of these giant men statues, sometimes referred to as “Muffler Men,” in the 1960s.
North American folklore is replete with stories of larger-than-life figures, but none of them stands taller than the giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan, who is said to have traveled around the continent with Babe, his big blue ox. In addition to ‘our’ Paul, many cities and states across America pay tribute to Bunyan, some have put up statues of him, and some also claim him as their native son. Some other areas where Bunyan is prominently featured include Bemidji, Brainerd, and Akeley, in Minnesota; Bangor, here in Maine; and locations in Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, and California.
According to whom you ask, Paul was born somewhere near Bangor on February 12, 1834, coincidentally, the date that Bangor was incorporated. Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe, traveled throughout the United States, creating the Grand Canyon, Puget Sound and the Black Hills among many other features of our American landscape.
However, the matter of where the giant lumberjack calls home isn't so simple. Bemidji, Minnesota claims itself as the home of Bunyan and Babe, and the first ever Paul statue was erected there in 1934 on the shore of Lake Bemidji. Brainerd, to be joined by Babe decades later. Brainerd, is home to Paul Bunyan Land, and Akely, MN, hosts an annual Paul Bunyan Days Festival.
Tom Puiia, tells us that the Paul Bunyon statue was brought to Rumford in 1963 by his father, Nicholas J. Puiia Sr. It was originally leased as a promotional event for the grand opening of the Town & Country Cash & Carry hardware and lumber store. “However,” he states, “It became such an attraction that he decided to buy out the lease and keep it.” The statue has been backed into and knocked flat on his back. He has had one leg burned up to his crotch, and had his axe stolen at least 3 times. Rumford Paul has been seen wearing an elf's cap and holding a 20 ft. candy cane, and has stood in 4 different spots between 38 Prospect Ave. and The Rumford Information Center, where he currently resides.
Cookie Boulanger of Rumford says, “My husband Dennis worked for Puiias and was the truck driver that picked Paul up in Portland. Mr. Puiia had just bought the old HP Hood building and had it placed there.”
Tim Ronan adds, “I was 7 and watched it being installed in front of Puiia's hardware store. I think it was called Town and Country back then.”
When the Puiia’s hardware store and lumber yard closed at the Rumford location, the Puiia family decided to gift the statue to the town of Rumford, as Mr. Puiia states, “so it would remain as the landmark that it had become for the area.”
Mary Puiia Lapointe echoes her brother Tom’s words with pride and adds, “Before he was relocated to the information center, Paul was at my parents' store, The Village Gift Shoppe,” which was next door to Puiias. The store was originally Hood's Dairy.
Beth Voter of Rumford also adds, “After Paul was moved across the street, a statue of Babe was commissioned by the town of Rumford to attract visitors to the island. It was originally by The Rite Aid pharmacy. Rumford town selectman Jim Rinaldo was instrumental in getting the Statue of Babe created and installed.
Mrs. Voter added that the town also painted blue footprints from Babe to Paul Bunyan. She said, “After Walgreens took over Rite Aid the decision was made to move Babe over to the Information Center next to Paul.”
Bobbi Marin, of Wytheville, Virginia says, “I always remember looking for Paul Bunyan whenever I would go down Falls Hill, or come over from the “Mexico side.”
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