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Trees of Mystery in Klamath, California
Coming around a bend on Highway 101, you're suddenly greeted by a huge (49 foot) statue of Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe (who is a bit shorter at a mere 35 feet tall).
The present Paul Bunyan showed up the year before the Seattle Worlds Fair, which was in the early sixties. Might be that he knew if he stood here in our lot, he'd get to talk to lots and lots of people on their way to the fair! The present Babe has been here since 1949. The first Paul Bunyan only lasted about a year, though. The winter snows caved in poor Paul's head - which was only made of papier mache. At one time, Babe's head nodded and smoke blew out his nostrils. The smoke scared the heck out of small children, so that was discontinued. The head movement is inoperable due to bracing installed when he was moved in 1983 to make room for the new End of the Trail Museum. Near future plans call for removing the bracing so his head can move again, as well as adding several oxen-like sound capabilities.
Entering through a fallen hollowed out tree, you pay your admission and begin your walk through the Trees of Mystery. I don't know about redwoods being mysterious, but they were pretty awesome and people, for the most part, are very reverent while there.
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