Bemidji Heritage Preservation Commission Celebrating City’s 100-Year-Old Buildings

A bit of history will be recognized and honored in Bemidji, where 100 years of one of Bemidji’s major landmarks will be celebrated.

At Monday’s city council meeting, representatives of the Bemidji Heritage Preservation Commission went before the council to invite them to the commission’s first ceremony, which will be recognizing the building that houses the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. Along with that building in downtown Bemidji, three other buildings within the city have also reached that 100-year milestone.

“Properties at 202 3rd Street, 217 3rd Street, and 219 3rd Street—these are known as Suman buildings, because a lot of them were owned by the Suman family for many years,” said Linda Lemmer, chair of the Bemidji Heritage Preservation Commission.

Kevin Johnson of MyBemidji designed decals that will be placed inside each of the four buildings. A ceremony for the 100-year milestone will be held on June 11th at 12:30 p.m. at the Northwest Minnesota Foundation building.