Bemidji, Minnesota

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Bemidji, Minnesota
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image_caption = Statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox


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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Beltrami County and the state of Minnesota


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Minnesota
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Beltrami
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government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Richard Lehmann
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established_title = Founded
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established_title3 = Incorporated
established_date3 = 1896
area_magnitude =
unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_total_km2 = 33.5
area_land_km2 = 30.5
area_water_km2 = 3.1
area_total_sq_mi = 13.0
area_land_sq_mi = 11.8
area_water_sq_mi = 1.2
area_water_percent = 9.11%
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population_as_of = 2007
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settlement_type = City
population_total = 13419
population_density_km2 = 390.6
population_density_sq_mi = 1011.8
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timezone = Central
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = Central
utc_offset_DST = -5
latd = 47 |latm = 28 |lats = 25 |latNS = N
longd = 94 |longm = 52 |longs = 49 |longEW = W
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 416
elevation_ft = 1365
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 56601
area_code = 218
website = [http://www.ci.bemidji.mn.us www.ci.bemidji.mn.us]
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 27-05068GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0655325GR|3
footnotes = Bemidji (pronEng|bəˈmɪdʒiː) is a city in Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was estimated at 13,419 in 2007.cite web |url=http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/SUB-EST2007-4.html |title=Population Estimates for All Places: 2000 to 2007 |accessdate=2008-07-20 |format= |work=U.S. Census Bureau ] It is the county seat of Beltrami County.GR|6 Bemidji lies on the southwest shore of Lake Bemidji, the northernmost lake feeding the Mississippi River and, as such, is deemed "the first city on the Mississippi."

Its name derives from the Ojibwe "Bay-may-ji-ga-maug" (Double-Vowel orthography: "bemijigamaag") [cite web |url=http://www.freelang.net/dictionary/ojibwe.html |title=Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary] , meaning "lake that traverses another body of water". On occasion, in Ojibwe, the city of Bemidji is called "Wabigamaang" ("at the lake channel/narrows"), because part of the city is situated on the Lakes Bemidji/Irving narrows, located on the south end of Lake Bemidji, and extends to the eastern shore of Lake Irving.

Bemidji is home to Bemidji State University, Northwest Technical College, and Oak Hills Christian College. It's also headquarters of Bemidji Woolen Mills. The statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, well-known landmarks, are downtown on the lakefront. Lake Bemidji State Park offers year-round recreation.

Bemidji is home to one of five flight bases in the state for North Memorial Medical Center of Robbinsdale (a Level 1 Trauma Center located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area), MeritCare Clinic (which operates five facilities in Bemidji), and North Country Health Services.

NFL Pro Football Hall of Famer Dave Casper was born in Bemidji, as was actress Jane Russell.

Bemidji is also home base for Paul Bunyan Broadcasting, a group of sixteen radio stations in Bemidji, Baxter, Wadena and Alexandria.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.9 square miles (33.5 km²), of which, 11.8 square miles (30.5 km²) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it (9.11%) is water.

Four-lane U.S. Route 2, U.S. Route 71, and Minnesota State Highway 197 are three of the main routes in the city. Minnesota State Highways 89 and 371 are nearby.

The largest earthquake on record for the Bemidji area was recorded on September 3, 1917. It is claimed that it shook houses down in Bemidji and across northern Minnesota. (Little Falls Daily Transcript, September 4, 1917) The epicenter was about 95 miles away in Staples, Minnesota. It affected an area of 48,000 km², and was rated a magnitude 4.4 with a maximum intensity of VI to VII. The closest and most recent quake occurred in Walker, MN on September 27, 1982 with a magnitude of 2.0. [ftp://mgssun6.mngs.umn.edu/pub2/mnglance/Mn_Earthquake.pdf]

Demographics

USCensusPop
1900= 2183
1910= 5099
1920= 7086
1930= 7202
1940= 9427
1950= 10001
1960= 9958
1970= 11490
1980= 10949
1990= 11245
2000= 11917
estimate= 13419
estyear= 2007
estref=

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 11,917 people, 4,669 households, and 2,427 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,011.8 people per square mile (390.6/km²). There were 4,948 housing units at an average density of 420.1/sq mi (162.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.31% White American, 0.76% African American, 11.52% Native American, 1.12% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 2.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.

There were 4,669 households out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.0% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.0% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 24.9% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,072, and the median income for a family was $37,250. Males had a median income of $28,312 versus $20,694 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,264. About 13.2% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.7% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.

Culture

Bemidji is a progressive college town with strong technology and art influences. The city's streets are lined with small shops and art sculptures. The community puts high importance on art, music, science, and religion. The city offers a quaint, laidback feel and lifestyle. Politically the city is relatively liberal. [cite web |url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20041102/SelectPrecinct.asp?M=P&rq=04Beltrami |title=Minnesota Secretary Of State] .

The Concordia Language Villages are located near Bemidji and this has, perhaps, been influential in the existence of several language conversational groups (including French, Norwegian, Spanish, Italian, and German) that meet weekly in local coffee houses.

During the summer the Paul Bunyan Playhouse operates a non-equity, summer stock theater.

The city is well known to fans of the sport of curling. Both men's and women's rinks from the Bemidji Curling Club won the right to represent the United States in the 2005 World Curling Championship and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. Pete Fenson, the skip of the U.S. curling team that took the bronze medal at the 2006 Olympics, is a native of Bemidji.

A city referendum for a Bemidji Regional Events Center passed by a slim majority of 43 votes out of 4583 votes cast in November 2006. The center is expected to cost $50 million. While the major tenant for the center is expected to be the Bemidji State University (BSU) hockey team, the current status of the men's hockey team is uncertain as it attempts to enter the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). Information on this project can be found at [http://bemidjievents.com/ Bemidji Events] .

Media

Newspapers

*"The Bemidji Pioneer" - local daily newspaper [http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/ www.bemidjipioneer.com]

TV stations

Most of Bemidji's TV stations primarily rebroadcast the television stations of Minneapolis.

Magazine

*"Best of Bemidji Quarterly Magazine" - direct mailed magazine to every home in the greater Bemidji area, BOB features ads from local businesses with no editorial copy. Most ads are coupons. [http://www.bestofbemidji.com/ www.bestofbemidji.com]

*"Northwoods Woman" - Bimonthly glossy magazine launched July 1, 2008 includes articles about women who live and work in northern Minnesota. Also available in Walker, Park Rapids and surrounding areas. [http://www.northwoodswoman.com/ www.northwoodswoman.com]

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://www.ci.bemidji.mn.us/ City of Bemidji, MN -- Official site]
* [http://www.bemidji.org/ Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/ The Bemidji Pioneer Newspaper]
* [http://www.meritcare.com/guidebook/directories/locationlist.aspx/ MeritCare Clinic]
* [http://www.nchs.com/ North Country Regional Hospital]
* [http://www.bestofbemidji.com/ Best of Bemidji Quarterly Magazine]