Teddy Bear History

Teddy Bears got their name from Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States. In 1902, the president went bear hunting in Mississippi without success, so members of his party caught a bear cub, tied it to a tree, and offered it to the president as an easy trophy. The president refused. The event was drawn by a cartoonist for the Washington Post the next day. The cartoon emphasized the helplessness of the bear and conveyed the message that Roosevelt would not make decisions for the wrong reasons. Roosevelt's popularity soared as a result of his actions and the cartoon. Morris and Rose Michtom made a stuffed bear in honor of the president's actions.

Teddy Bears name is based on one of two stories. One story is that the president gave the Michtom's permission to christen the new stuffed toy bear "Teddy Bear". The other story is that at President Roosevelt's daughter's wedding, bears decorated the tables. When a guest asked what breed of bear they were, a guest said, "Why, they're Teddy Bears, of course".

By 1908, over 20 companies were making stuffed teddy bears in the United States alone and teddy bears were on their way to a love affair with all of us that continues today.