The Bridger-Teton National Forest to Celebrate Smokey Bear’s 80th Birthday
Forest is Hosting Historical Paintings by Rudolph Wendelin
Pinedale, WY, March 15, 2024 – In celebration of Smokey Bear’s 80th Birthday, the Bridger-Teton National Forest will kick start the year by hosting 19 historical paintings by Rudy Wendelin. These paintings will be on display at the Sublette County Library in Pinedale, WY from April 8 through April 19, 2024. The Pinedale Ranger District will be hosting an opening night reception on Tuesday, April 9, from 5 to 7 pm. Staff and friends of Smokey Bear will be on hand and light refreshments will be served.
A ’Read with Smokey’ event will be held on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 from 5 to 7 pm. Smokey Bear himself will be in attendance and fans young and old are encouraged to read selections from some of his favorite story books. Hot cocoa and s’mores will be provided.
The Bridger-Teton National Forest is one of just 14 locations across the Nation, including National Forests and Grasslands, to host the painting collection during the 2024 birthday celebration event. The artwork is on loan to the Forest from the Special Collections section of the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library
in Washington, DC. These paintings were completed from 1977 through 1995 and remain the most famous depictions of Smokey Bear. Painter Rudolph ‘Rudy’ Wendelin worked for the U.S. Forest Service as an illustrator
beginning in 1933 and retired in 1973. Thanks to Wendelin’s art, Smokey’s message “Only YOU can prevent wildfires” has prevailed for decades.