“A dreamer of pictures
I run in the night
You see us together,
chasing the moonlight,
My cinnamon bear.”
Adapted from “Cinnamon Girl” by Neil Young
When Colorado became a territory in 1861, it was still very much open space and wilderness. Even when it was accepted into the Union as the 38th state in 1876, most of the wilderness remained intact. Along with the wild terrain and formidable mountains the adventurous and curious would also find bears of all shapes and sizes. An agitated bear can be quite fearsome and if you found yourself on the wrong side of a bear encounter and lived to tell the tale, the local papers would be happy to share your story with the rest of the world. Listen to readings of some reports of bear encounters found in the Colorado Historic Newspapers. And remember kids – don’t go poking sleeping bears… that’s just a hot mess in the making.
Rocky Mountain News July 23, 1861 – That Bear Story
Daily Central City Register, July 27, 1873 – The Cinnamon Bear
Denver Daily Times, July 31, 1877 – Excerpt from The State
Colorado Miner, July 24, 1880 – A Bear Story