Cultural Connections to Bears

Long before national parks were formed, bears were important to cultures around the world. Bears' strength, impressive appearance, and behavior led to the creation of stories, legends, and mythologies—from constellations to Native American place names to Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Today bears continue to have a place in our culture. We use their image as symbols and mascots; feature them in books, movies, and television; and preserve the parks that honor our relationship with them over the years.

Showing results 1-10 of 10

  • Sitka National Historical Park

    Bears in Totem Poles of the Northwest Coast Natives

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Sitka National Historical Park
    Ghaanaxh.adi/Raven Crest Pole

    Totem poles are carved with striking designs and colors, many depicting bears.

  • Devils Tower National Monument

    Devils Tower or Bear Lodge?

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Devils Tower National Monument
    A field of golden grasses, blue sky and white clouds, with a rock monolith in the background.

    Devils Tower is a modern name for an ancient rock. Original names for the site, which come from various Northern Plains Indian tribes, evoke the site's traditional links to bear culture. Learn about the oral histories and traditional names for this iconic landmark in the Black Hills of Wyoming.

  • Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

    The Mother Bear and Cubs of Sleeping Bear Dunes

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
    Dunes and dune grass

    Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore honors a faithful mother bear.

  • Smokey Bear

    • Type: Article
    Smokey Bear

    The most recognizable bear in the woods actually works for the U.S. Forest Service.

  • Nez Perce National Historical Park

    Bear Paw Battlefield

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Nez Perce National Historical Park
    Old Chief Joseph grave site

    How did Montana's Bear Paw Mountains get their name?

  • Bear Skins in the Fur Trade

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site,Voyageurs National Park
    Village during the fur trade era

    The fur trade shaped American history, largely financing the exploration and settlement of much of the West.

  • Golden Gate National Recreation Area

    The Bear Flag Revolt

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Golden Gate National Recreation Area
    The Original Bear Flag

    How did California's state flag come to be?

  • Bears in the Stars

    • Type: Article
    Big Dipper

    For thousands of years, people in the Northern Hemisphere have looked skyward and picked out the stars forming the constellations Ursa Major (the Great Bear) and Ursa Minor (the Little Bear).

  • Effigy Mounds National Monument

    The Bears of Effigy Mounds

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Effigy Mounds National Monument
    Marching Bear Group

    In the midwestern United States, early Native Americans built earthen mounds known today as effigy mounds.

  • Origin of the Teddy Bear

    • Type: Article
    • Locations: Sagamore Hill National Historic Site,Theodore Roosevelt National Park,Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site,Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site,Theodore Roosevelt Island
    Teddy Bear

    One of the world's most well-loved bears is part of the history surrounding President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt.

Tags: bear culture
Back to top

Last updated: April 22, 2014

Experience More

Parks

Tools

  • Site Index