On May19th, 1950 a small and badly burned bear cub was found by the Taos Pueblo Snowballs (firefighters) who had been called in to help fight a fire. Snowball crew member, Adolph Samora recalled “The little cub was covered,” he said. “[A crewmember] picked it up and placed it in my arms. The cub had blisters all over his hands and feet.” (Marian). The crew wrapped the bear in the jackets and took him to safety. Game warden Ray Bell flew the bear, then called Hotfoot Teddy, to Santa Fe for treatment by veterinarian Dr. Ed Smith. It was the bell family who cared for the bear as he recovered.
The story of the bear cub rescued from the fire gained national attention. The forest service believed that the bear who survived a fire that was reported as started by a carelessly tossed cigarette could encourage children to prevent fires. An article in the Alamogordo news, stated “The tiny injured bear, playing in a cardboard box in the Department of Game and Fish office in Santa Fe speaks more eloquently than any poster the need to “Prevent Forest Fires.’” Orphaned and injured, the little cub became the living embodiment of Smokey Bear.
Once recovered, Smokey was sent to the National Zoo in Washington, DC. Commercial airlines would not allow a bear in the cabin of a plane, or a human escort in the cargo hold. A private company, Piper Aircraft offered to fly and Smokey had “his own seat in the “cabin,” the plane was personalized and adorned with a mural of Smokey with his paw in a sling and ranger hat on his head.” (Smokey Bear) There were hundreds of people awaiting his arrival in D.C on June on June 27th, 1950, including Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
Smokey had been suffering from ill health when in 1974 congress passed a bill to return the bear to Captain, New Mexico when he died (88 Stat. 2421). On May 2, 1975 he officially retired. At this point the original Smokey had lived at the National Zoo for 26 years. Suffering from arthritis and possibly still suffering from long lasting effects of his burned paws, he could barely walk. His retirement was short-lived and he died on November 9, 1976. His body was returned to New Mexico and he is buried in the Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan, New Mexico.
Read more about the Taos Snowballs and how Smokey was found. The Capitan Gap Fire, the Taos Snowballs and Smokey Bear
Images:
Taos Pueblo Snowballs, National Museum of American History 1991.3040.02
Walter, Harold. 1950. “Judy Bell, 4 year old daughter of Ray Bell, New Mexico State Forester with her young friend, Smokey .” Special Collections, USDA National Agricultural Library. Accessed January 16, 2024, https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/speccoll/items/show/431.
"Smokey Bear Historical Park was established in 1976 to honor Capitan’s favorite son, Smokey Bear. Nearly three decades earlier, Smokey was an orphaned little bear cub with burned paws, found in the aftermath of the Capitan Gap wildfire."
"The park is a true celebration of Smokey’s legacy. At the visitor’s center, guests can find fascinating exhibits about forest health, wildfires, the science of fire ecology, and a historical look at wildfire prevention. The theater features a short film about how forest health and fire impact our lives today."
Smokey's popularity was one of the deciding factors in the black bear being chosen as the state mammal.
New Mexico Game and Fish also chose the black bear as their symbol.
