Gerald W. Williams Collection on Smokey Bear, 1933-1995
Predominant Dates: 1993-1995
The Gerald W. Williams Collection on Smokey Bear is comprised of materials collected by U.S. Forest Service historian Gerald Williams relating to Smokey Bear, the Forest Service mascot for wildfire prevention. The collection includes records from the 50th "birthday" of Smokey and materials documenting the history of the Smokey campaign. Included are promotional materials, a design guide, slides and photographs, video recordings, and memorabilia.
The contents of box-folders 1.1 and 1.6 from Series 1, and box-folders 2.1, 2.4, and 2.6 from Series 2, have been digitized and are available upon request.
ID: MSS Smokey
Extent: 1.2 cubic feet
Statement on Access: This collection is open for research.
Statement on Description: This collection was accessioned as part of the Gerald W. Williams Collection (MSS WilliamsG). It has since been separated from that collection and processed independently.
Preferred Citation: Gerald W. Williams Collection on Smokey Bear (MSS Smokey), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.
Acquisition Note:
These materials were acquired in 2007 by the Oregon State University Archives as part of the Gerald W. Williams Collection (MSS WilliamsG). They now reside independently in the Oregon State University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Research Center.
Container List
- Series 1: "Happy Birthday Smokey" 50th Anniversary, 1993-1995 Add to Shelf
- Series 1 is comprised of materials documenting the 1994-1995 "Happy Brithday Smokey" campaign and traveling exhibition. The campaign celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Smokey mascot and attempted to spread wildfire danger awareness through a cross-country traveling exhibit. Materials include an activity book, a poster, and several pamphlets; a brief history of Smokey Bear; an exhibition manual; an exhibit guest book; two short video recordings celebrating Smokey; recordings of television news coverage of the 50th birthday event; and an interview with Smokey artist Rudy Wendelin. The series also includes a photograph album containing more than 450 photographic prints, 100 slides, and 3 contact sheets featuring photographs of the exhibition and events in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Las Vegas, Denver, Seattle, Cody (Wyoming), Portland (Oregon), and Phoenix. Additionally, more than 200 loose color photographic prints and negatives are included in the collection, many of which duplicate the content found in the album.
- Box-Folder 1.1: Smokey Bear 50th Birthday Commemorative Pamphlets and Activity Book, 1993 Add to Shelf
- The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
- Box-Folder 1.2: "Happy Birthday Smokey" Traveling Exhibition Manual, circa 1993 Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 1.3: "Happy Birthday Smokey" Traveling Exhibition Guest Book, 1994 Add to Shelf
- Box-Item 4.1: "Happy Birthday Smokey" Traveling Exhibition Photograph Album, 1994-1995 Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 1.4: Photographic Prints and Negatives: "Happy Birthday Smokey" Traveling Exhibition, Phoenix, Arizona, circa 1994 Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 1.5: Photographic Prints and Negatives: "Happy Birthday Smokey" Traveling Exhibition, Los Angeles, California, circa 1994 Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 1.6: "The Story of Smokey Bear," Gladys D. Daines and Elsie Cunningham, 1993 Add to Shelf
- The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
- Box-Folder 1.7: Photographic Prints and Negatives: "Happy Birthday Smokey" Traveling Exhibition, Atlanta, Georgia, 1994 Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 1.8: Photographic Prints and Negatives: "Happy Birthday Smokey" Traveling Exhibition, Chicago, Illinois, circa 1994 Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 1.9: Photographic Prints and Negatives: "Happy Birthday Smokey" Traveling Exhibition, Las Vegas, Nevada, circa 1994 Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 1.10: Photographic Negatives: "Happy Birthday Smokey" Traveling Exhibition, Seattle, Washington, circa 1994 Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 1.11: Photographic Negatives: "Happy Birthday Smokey" Traveling Exhibition, Portland, Oregon, circa 1994 Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 1.12: Photographic Prints and Negatives: "Happy Birthday Smokey" Traveling Exhibition, Washington, D.C., circa 1994 Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 1.13: Photographic Prints and Negatives: "Happy Birthday Smokey" Traveling Exhibition, Denver, Colorado, 1995 Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 2.6: Smokey Bear 50th Birthday patch, 1994 Add to Shelf
- Box-Item 3.1: Videocassette: "Fifty Years with Smokey Bear," United States Forest Service, October 1993 Add to Shelf
- A short film produced by the United States Forest Service celebrating the 50th anniversary of the genesis of Smokey Bear.
- Box-Item 3.2: Videocassette: "Smokey the Bear", 1994 Add to Shelf
- A short film depicting the real life Smokey Bear and scored by a musical narrative.
- Box-Item 3.3: Videocassette: News interview with Rudy Wendelin, 1994 Add to Shelf
- An interview with Smokey Bear artist Rudy Wendelin in celebration of Smokey's 50th brithday. Aired on News Channel 8 in Pennsylvania.
- Box-Item 3.4: Videocassette: Smokey's 50th Birthday news stories, Atlanta, Georgia, 1994 Add to Shelf
- Recordings of several television news stories covering the Happy Birthday Smokey event in Atlanta, Georgia, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the genesis of Smokey Bear.
- Series 2: Wildfire Prevention Promotional Materials and Memorabilia, 1933-1995 Add to Shelf
- Series 2 is comprised of materials generated by the United States Forest Service and the Advertising Council promoting wildfire prevention. The series includes a radio kit from the Advertising Council, Inc.'s wildfire prevention campaign; color slides of fire prevention posters (including several predating the Smokey campaign and one featuring Woodsy Owl); a Smokey Bear graphic art guide; photocopies of graphics used in the book Guardian of the Forest; and wearable pins, buttons, and patches. The series also contains photographic prints, negatives, and slides depicting the mascot's appearance at Oregon's Timberline Lodge, a photo-op with Lady Bird Johnson, the original living Smokey bear, a promotional drawing for the National Zoo, and other images featuring Smokey.
- Box-Folder 2.1: The Advertising Council, Inc. Forest Fire Prevention Campaign radio kit, 1991 Add to Shelf
- The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
- Box-Folder 2.2: Fire Prevention Poster Slides, 1933-1994 Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 2.3: "Smokey Bear Graphic Art Guide and Fire Prevention Clip-Art" Booklet, 1995 Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 2.4: "Smokey Says..." Graphics from Guardian of the Forest (1976), 1995 Add to Shelf
- The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
- Box-Folder 2.5: Assorted Photographs and Images, undated Add to Shelf
- Box-Folder 2.6: Smokey Bear pins, patches, and buttons, circa 1980-1994 Add to Shelf
- The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
- Box-Item 3.5: Videocassette: Smokey Bear PSAs, circa 1950s Add to Shelf
- A collection of public service announcements created by the Advertising Council featuring Smokey Bear.
- Box-Item 3.6: Videocassette: "The Smokey Bear Show", circa 1969 Add to Shelf
- Includes three episodes of The Smokey Bear Show including "The Founder's Day Folly," "The Ol' Club House," and "one Born Every Second."