I'll bet you are thinking I used bear when I meant bare...you would be thinking wrong! I read that Smokey Bear,aka Smokey the Bear,or Smokey,was first named Hot Foot Teddy. I wondered why I'd never heard that before and found some interesting facts about Smokey.
I had always heard the story of the living symbol of Smokey, the black bear cub who in 1950 was caught in a wildfire in New Mexico. Smokey had climbed a tree to escape the fire,but his paws and hind legs had been burned. At first he was called "Hotfoot Teddy" by those caring for him during his recovery. He was later renamed Smokey after the mascot for the U.S. Forest Service who was created in 1944. The original Smokey slogan was "Smokey Say-Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires". The slogan was changed in 1947 to "Remember...Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires". It was updated again in 2001 to "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires".
The living Smokey went to live in Washington,D.C. at the National Zoo where he remained until his death in 1976. His remains were returned to Smokey Bear Historical Park where a plaque marks his grave.
As a kid I has a stuffed Smokey,complete with hat and pants. In looking back I am guessing he was a gift from a brother that worked for the Forest Service,he was a cherished toy.
I had always heard the story of the living symbol of Smokey, the black bear cub who in 1950 was caught in a wildfire in New Mexico. Smokey had climbed a tree to escape the fire,but his paws and hind legs had been burned. At first he was called "Hotfoot Teddy" by those caring for him during his recovery. He was later renamed Smokey after the mascot for the U.S. Forest Service who was created in 1944. The original Smokey slogan was "Smokey Say-Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires". The slogan was changed in 1947 to "Remember...Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires". It was updated again in 2001 to "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires".
The living Smokey went to live in Washington,D.C. at the National Zoo where he remained until his death in 1976. His remains were returned to Smokey Bear Historical Park where a plaque marks his grave.
As a kid I has a stuffed Smokey,complete with hat and pants. In looking back I am guessing he was a gift from a brother that worked for the Forest Service,he was a cherished toy.
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