Smokey The Bear

When we were younger, my brother and I would go to New Mexico every summer to visit our grandparents. One summer my aunt decided to get us out of our grandparents house and took us on a trip. From what I recall, we went to 3 different places, Carlsbad Caverns, Roswell, and Lincoln National Forest.

Lincoln National Forest was the home of the real life Smokey The Bear. I remember going to the visitors center there and being greeted by a big plastic version of Smokey. When you pressed the button right next to him he'd deliver his famous catchphrase "Only you can prevent Forest Fires," and I remember being very impressed with that.

From their we went onto the theater room and proceeded to watch a documentary on Smokey's life. I must say that story is sadder then Bambie's. The poor little bear was caught in a forest fire and was found up a tree, holding on for dear life. His paws and hind legs had been burned.

Apparently he was rescued by a game warden, then a local rancher took him home, but then he ended up with a park ranger somehow and then was finally placed in The National Zoo in Washington D.C. where he eventually died. And that's pretty much the story of Smokey the bear.

I mentioned that during this trip we went to Roswell, this was during the 50th anniversary of the Roswell crash. My brother and I ended up in the paper for being there. I just thought I should add that.

Sophie