Bear With Us

A New Exhibition at SLV Museum Tells Bear Stories of the Santa Cruz Mountains

In the late 1700s, the San Francisco peninsula was a wilderness, and home to large numbers of grizzlies. The abundance of food was shared between the hierarchy of wildlife and the native peoples; there was plenty for all. In just a few decades, this would change.

Confrontations between man and bear often resulted in death or serious injury. By the late 1800s, there were few grizzlies left and, and by 1900, once prolific, had been hunted to extinction.

This exhibition tells the stories of bear encounters, both grizzlies and black bears, in the Santa Cruz area from the late 1700s to the present day and reminds us that often our intolerance can lead to an unrecoverable and regrettable loss.

Hands-on activities for young visitors and interactive elements are aimed at engaging visitors of all ages.

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The San Lorenzo Valley Museum resides in a historic 1906 church with a mission of preserving and sharing the history of the San Lorenzo Valley through exhibits, events and school outreach programs. It is solely funded by members, sponsors and grants from the community. For more information, call 831-338-8382 or go to www.slvmuseum.com.