Wait, is Paul Bunyan NOT from Minnesota?

So apparently Paul Buyan and Babe the Blue Ox aren't just Minnesota figures.

This realization started this weekend when a Facebook friend shared a post that said Bangor, Maine claims to be the "birthplace" of Paul. But according the online Britannica encyclopedia,

Paul was first introduced to a general audience by W.B. Laughead, a Minnesota advertising man, in a series of pamphlets (1914–44) used to publicize the products of the Red River Lumber Company.

So technically Minnesota has the right to Paul, right? I mean we were the ones introducing him and advertising to the general public. Of course there were stories told long before advertisements. The legend of Paul and his super-human feats were told throughout logging camps all across North America. Which is probably why 10 different cites across four states (Minnesota, Maine, Michigan, and Wisconsin) claim to be the folklore figure's "birthplace".

While it is a legend, and silly to argue about, I still say Paul Bunyun is a Minnesota man. We have an amusement park in his honor! I don't see Maine doing that. But overall, no shade. There is more than enough Paul and Babe to go around!