ABOUT BEMIDJI

The Mississippi River flows through the southern portion. The power dam downstream helps control the water level. Where is the headwaters of the Mississippi River?

• 31 miles southwest of Bemidji on US Highway 71. The headwaters is located in Itasca State Park. How tall is Paul Bunyan and how old is he?

• Paul is 18 feet tall. The statue was constructed in 1937. When does Lake Bemidji freeze over?

• The average date is December 10. The average date of iceout is April 26.

When do the leaves turn color?

• Average peak season for fall colors is the week of September 22.

What is the population of the city?

• 14,574 in 2020, according to factfinder.census.gov. But that number can be deceiving, because so many people live in nearby townships and still consider Bemidji home. According to the 2010 census, the populations of the six adjacent townships (Eckles, Northern, Turtle River, Grant Valley, Bemidji and Frohn) and the city of Wilton totaled 14,058. Add that to the city of Bemidji and you get 28,632. Bemidji is a regional hub. According to the most recent ESRI Community Profile, the population within a 15-mile radius of Bemidji was 42,594; within a 30-mile radius it was 66,370.

How does the Mississippi River flow “north” to Bemidji?

• The continental divide is located in the area. Water flows north to Hudson Bay and south to the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi River flows north into Lake Bemidji, then east with the northernmost point of the river east of Lake Bemidji. It continues to the southeast to Grand Rapids, Minn., before it takes a more southerly direction.

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