Porterville, CA - When in search for the Paul Bunyan and fiberglass "muffler" men statues in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a visit to Porterville turned up a double gem. Yes, it is the Bunyan Lodge featuring both Babe and the Blue Ox. 11-20
Bunyan Lodge (1999)
Porterville, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Back in 1999, the Bunyan Lodge in Porterville was still one of those places where the roadside theme extended far beyond the sign. Travelers arriving on Morton Avenue were greeted by an enormous Paul Bunyan, a rooftop Babe the Blue Ox, and a neon marquee shaped around a giant double-bit axe. This was not a motel that worried about being too subtle.
The star of the property was an 18-foot-tall Paul Bunyan carved from a single giant sequoia log. Sculptor Carroll Barnes created the three-ton figure between 1941 and 1942 from a tree said to have been about 2,000 years old. Paul was bare-chested, muscular, and looked more than capable of clearing a forest before lunchtime.
Bunyan Lodge (1999)
Porterville, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The carving originally stood in Three Rivers. In 1956, businessman Jack Anglin purchased Paul and moved him to Porterville as the centerpiece of his new motor lodge. The property embraced the lumberjack theme all the way, from the Bunyan Lodge name to the enormous axe rising above its roadside sign.
The Bunyan Lodge at 940 W. Morton Avenue in Porterville dates back to 1956, and in its heyday served many excited families with its Paul Bunyan woodsy theme. Well, times change and roadside motels fell into either disrepair or were overwhelmed by the massive growth of affordable chain motels beginning in the 1980s. Many of these old motels that survived started offering long term lodging or became affordable apartments.
Paul Bunyan at Bunyan Lodge (1999)
Porterville, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Paul did not have to watch over the place alone. Babe the Blue Ox stretched across the roof of the adjoining Blue Ox restaurant, transforming the entire building into a pedestal for the enormous blue animal. Unlike Paul, who was carved from a single sequoia log, Babe was made with a lighter molded construction suitable for rooftop display. His bright blue body, white horns, and oversized features could be spotted from the road before travelers ever noticed the restaurant entrance below.
The Bunyan Lodge closed around 2001. In August 2001, the iconic Paul Bunyan wood statue moved to a museum in Three Rivers after being donated by the motel owner to the Three Rivers Historical Society. The Bunyan statues was originally carved by Carroll Barnes of Three Rivers back in 1941/1942 where it stood until begin purchased by the Bunyan Lodge owner in 1956 and installed at the motel. The statue weighs almost 3 tons so it is a rather large wooden mass that was carved from a 2,000 year old redwood log.
The Blue Ox (1999)
Porterville, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
In the old Paul Bunyan tales, Babe was discovered during the legendary Winter of the Blue Snow and grew into a giant companion capable of hauling impossible loads. At the Bunyan Lodge, Babe did not appear to be hauling much of anything, but holding down the restaurant roof was probably enough responsibility.
And what happened to Babe the Blue Ox that used to be on the roof of the motel? Well Paul Bunyan's buddy left the lot to live in the Porterville Fairgrounds.
Bunyan Axe sign (1999)
Porterville, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Together, Paul and Babe turned an otherwise ordinary roadside motel and restaurant into a little piece of American folklore. The two figures were displayed separately, with Paul standing at ground level and Babe above the dining room, but the axe sign tied the whole woodsy scene together.
The lodge later became the Palm Tree Inn, and that brought one more strange chapter. The new operators reportedly painted the trunks of the property's tall palm trees in alternating bright colors. Local residents were not impressed, and the paint eventually had to be removed. Apparently even in California, there are limits to what one should do with a palm tree.
Statue Marker (1999)
Porterville, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Palm Tree Inn did not last, and the property closed around 2001. Fortunately, owner Larry Catalina donated the two giant characters instead of allowing them to be destroyed. Paul returned to Three Rivers, while Babe remained closer to Porterville.
UPDATE: Paul Bunyan now stands outside the Three Rivers Historical Museum along Highway 198, not far from where his roadside travels began. Babe the Blue Ox was donated to local agricultural youth organizations and moved to the Porterville Fairgrounds at Olive Avenue and Plano Street. The Bunyan Lodge remains closed, but its giant axe marquee still stands over the old property on Morton Avenue, keeping one last piece of the woodsy theme in place. 09-26
More Photos
The Paul Bunyan Lodge Restaurant Sign
Porterville, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Another view (1999)
Porterville, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Bunyan Lodge (1999)
Bunyan Lodge (1999)
Paul Bunyan at Bunyan Lodge (1999)
The Blue Ox (1999)
Bunyan Axe sign (1999)
Statue Marker (1999)
