The Story of Teddy Bears
Did you know the Teddy Bear was named after President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt?
It all happened in Sharkey County!
While hunting in the Mississippi Delta in 1902, President Roosevelt could not bring himself to kill a bear that had been tied up for him to shoot. He felt doing so would be unsportsmanlike. Word of this hit newspapers across the country, and a political cartoonist drew this cartoon showing how President Roosevelt refused to shoot the captured bear.
Former slave, Confederate soldier and Texas cowboy, Holt Collier was the President's guide on the bear hunt.
As the hunt began, Holt Collier told President Roosevelt where to wait for the bear to come out of the cane brake. After waiting a long time, the President left that spot. When the angry bear finally came out of the woods, Holt jumped from his horse and clubbed the bear, stunning the 250-pound bruin. He threw a rope around the dazed creature and sent for the President to shoot the bear.
Did You Know? The Teddy Bear is Mississippi's State Toy.
The Teddy Bear was born because of Roosevelt's hunting trip in Mississippi.
Before long, a New York retailer began calling the toy bears in his shop "Teddy's bears." Today, children around the world still use the name "teddy bear" to describe their most beloved stuffed animals.
Photo Captions
Top right: Holt Collier killed over 3000 bears in his lifetime
Below: This photo was token during a local reenactment of the bear hunt.
Left: Theodore Roosevelt. U.S. President from 1901 to 1909, was a passionate hunter. He loved the thrill of tracking and chasing game. the skill in marksmanship, and the careful recording of his observations about each hunt.
Topics and series.
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Location. 32° 54.515′ N, 90° 52.595′ W. Marker is in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, in Sharkey County. It is at the intersection of Walnut Street and Chestnut Street, on the right when traveling west on Walnut Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rolling Fork MS 39159, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in the Mississippi Delta, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Sharkey County Courthouse (about 400 feet
Other markers no longer nearby. Muddy Waters (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing); What is a Shotgun Shack? (was about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been confirmed missing); Mont Helena (was approx. 2.4 miles away but has been confirmed missing).
Credits. This page was last revised on October 10, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 9, 2020, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 849 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 9, 2020, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. 4. submitted on October 9, 2020.
