Smokey Bear Day

A black and white photo of two young girls with a Smokey Bear doll

August 9, 2022 marks Smokey Bear's 78th birthday!

The Smokey Bear doll featured in this photo is part of our collection; libraries used it for the Summer Reading Club in the 1950s. The Ad Council and Forest Service commissioned artist Albert Staehle to create the fictional character to help prevent forest fires.

Smokey's popularity remains strong, and so does the effort to protect America's land. Check out the resources below from our collection to learn more about South Carolina forests and watch this video for an up close and personal look at Smokey Bear.

Forestry Resources in our Digital Collection

Upcoming Event

By John Blake White, Wikimedia Commons

Speaker at the Center Series: An American Revolution Panel Discussion

July 16, 2026, 2:30 PM

Join us for our next Speaker at the Center event, where six panelists will explore the history of the American Revolution. Even 250 years after America gained independence, historians and experts continue to debate key questions. Come listen as they use artifacts and primary sources to clarify the facts in these discussions.