Berne in Adams County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Bear Statue

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 3, 2023

1. Bear Statue Marker

Inscription. 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,

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84° 57.324′ W. Marker is in Berne, Indiana, in Adams County. It is on West Main Street (Indiana Route 218), on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Berne IN 46711, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern Indiana

and in Greater Fort Wayne.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Site of First Church Mennonite (within shouting distance of this marker); Settlers Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Berne (approx. 0.2 miles away); Adams County Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.6 miles away); The First School House (approx. 3.8 miles away); Geneva Downtown Historic District (approx. 4½ miles away); Willshire, Ohio (approx. 10.6 miles away in Ohio); Roll of Honor

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 3, 2023

2. Bear Statue Marker

(approx. 10.7 miles away in Ohio). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Berne.

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 633 times since then and 62 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.