While you don’t think of St Louis as “Bear Country”, it was one of the largest Black Bear pelt trading posts from its founding in 1764 through the 19th century. The first currency in St Louis wasn’t the Écu (the French Currency at that time, it was Bear Pelts. Even as a territory of the US, it had a local currency with bears on it. Bears are basically the reason St Louis exists.
While you don’t think of St Louis as “Bear Country”, it was one of the largest Black Bear pelt trading posts from its founding in 1764 through the 19th century. The first currency in St Louis wasn’t the Écu (the French Currency at that time, it was Bear Pelts. Even as a territory of the US, it had a local currency with bears on it. Bears are basically the reason St Louis exists.