Happy Birthday Smokey the Bear!
In 2019, Smokey Bear celebrates 75 years at the forefront of the Forest Service’s wildfire prevention campaign.
To commemorate Forest Service wildfire prevention efforts, replicas of historic portraits by artist Rudolph Wendelin will display at across the country, including at the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Come by the Visitor Center — local home of the Mt. Baker Ranger District, North Cascades National Park and North Cascades Institute — at 810 State Route 20 in Sedro Woolley, Washington from 8 am to 4 pm through June 16 to see these iconic works of art that have taught generations of Americans about wildfire prevention and care of natural resources on our public lands.
(While you’re here, you can shop the Institute’s gift shop for Smokey the Bear swag, North Cascades souvenirs, books, maps, field guides, apparel and more — your purchases help fund youth education opportunities and create the next generation of public lands stewards!)
Mr. Wendelin created hundreds of Smokey representations that highlighted national resource conservation and wildfire prevention. It is Wendelin’s more humanized representation of Smokey Bear that is commonly known today. Under his direction Smokey assumed his ranger hat, jeans and shovel. The touring exhibit includes pieces of artwork from the National Agricultural Library.
The National Agriculture Library’s Special Collections houses rare books, manuscripts, nursery and seed catalogs, photographs and posters from the 1500s to the present. The Smokey Bear Collection at the National Agricultural Library consists of extensive material including posters, proofs, original artwork, motion pictures, sound recordings and memorabilia. Within this collection are nineteen original Rudolph Wendelin paintings and two hand-painted replicas.