Berne in Adams County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Bear Statue
Photographed By Tom Bosse, June 3, 2023
1. Bear Statue Marker
Inscription.
Bear Statue. . The bear has long served as a symbol of Berne, Indiana. Founding fathers named this community after Bern, Switzerland, the area in "the old country" from which the town's settlers had emigrated in 1852. These settlers would have been accustomed to seeing the bear displayed on flags, seals, coats of arms, and statues throughout the Canton of Bern, Switzerland. According to local legend, Berchtold V, Duke of Zähringen, the founder of the city of Bern, Switzerland, vowed to name the city after the first animal that he met on a hunt, and this turned out to be a bear. The bear has therefore been the heraldic animal of the seal and coat of arms of Bern, Switzerland from at least the 1220s. The famous Bärengraben, or Bear Pit, in Bern has been keeping live bears since the 1440s. In Berne, Indiana, the bear was the mascot for Berne High School and is currently represented on the city flag and coat of arms. This historic symbol continues to serve Berne, now as a sentinel of the Muensterberg Plaza.
The bear has long served as a symbol of Berne, Indiana. Founding fathers named this community after Bern, Switzerland, the area in "the old country" from which the town's settlers had emigrated in 1852. These settlers would have been accustomed to seeing the bear displayed on flags, seals, coats of arms, and statues throughout the Canton of Bern, Switzerland. According to local legend, Berchtold V, Duke of Zähringen, the founder of the city of Bern, Switzerland, vowed to name the city after the first animal that he met on a hunt, and this turned out to be a bear. The bear has therefore been the heraldic animal of the seal and coat of arms of Bern, Switzerland from at least the 1220s. The famous Bärengraben, or Bear Pit, in Bern has been
keeping live bears since the 1440s. In Berne, Indiana, the
bear was the mascot for Berne High School and is currently
represented on the city flag and coat of arms. This historic
symbol continues to serve Berne, now as a sentinel of the
Muensterberg Plaza.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1852.
Location. 40° 39.473′ N, 84° 57.324′ W. Marker is in Berne, Indiana, in Adams County. Marker is on West Main Street (Indiana Route 218), on the right when
Credits. This page was last revised on July 15, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 4, 2023, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 85 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on July 4, 2023, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
