Maine Paul Bunyan Statue May Get Blue Companion

A 31-foot-tall Paul Bunyan statue has stood for 56 years in Bangor, Maine. Some think it's high time he had a companion.

Normand Martin, who designed the iconic statue, presented the city's cultural committee on Thursday with a mock-up of a 20-foot-tall Babe the Blue Ox - Bunyan's hardworking companion.

Supporters - including for city councilor Gerry Palmer - are seeking $1,000 to create an official design.

The current statute is a regular stop for tourists. Bunyan stands in Bass Park with an ax on his shoulder and a peavey - a lumberjack's hook - in his hand.

Martin likes the idea of giving Bunyan a companion. The 89-year-old artist said Babe the Blue Ox was left off the original design because of concerns about statue's $20,000 cost when it was erected in 1959.