Original photo by wolv/ iStock |
Smokey Bear has his own ZIP code. | During his 77 years in the spotlight, the wildfire prevention mascot has kindled lots of goodwill. So much, in fact, that in 1964, the U.S. Postal Service created a unique ZIP code for Smokey Bear's mail. Not bad for a mascot that started out as a purely fictional character. In 1944, working on a commission from the War Advertising Council and the U.S. Forest Service, Saturday Evening Post artist Albert Staehle and writer Harold Rosenberg crafted the reassuring, safety-conscious black bear, now the face of the country's longest-running public service campaign, where he frequently shares his famous slogan: "Only you can prevent wildfires."
In 1950, a five-pound black bear cub rescued from a New Mexico wildfire by Taos Pueblo firefighters was christened "Smokey Bear" as a living homage to the popular protective figure. This bear spent the rest of his life at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. There, he, his successor — Smokey II — and their alter ego received up to 13,000 letters, drawings, Christmas cards, and honey shipments each week. To help sort these deliveries, the bears were given their own Washington, D.C. ZIP code: 20252. Some of the mail was undoubtedly postmarked with Smokey Bear stamps, which were printed with the likenesses of the first two bears and released on the 40th anniversary of the character's debut. From around 2007 to 2014, the ZIP code was decommissioned, but it was revived for the mascot's 70th anniversary. The original bear also has his own Instagram and Twitter accounts, where he shares fire prevention tips with the hashtag #OnlyYou — now a more vital message than ever.
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| The U.S. and Canada's "Big Four" sports leagues — NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL — each have a bear-themed team. | |
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The U.S. and Canada's "Big Four" sports leagues — NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL — each have a bear-themed team. | | |
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