02/27/2026
If I could have picked the opening day, it would have been today since it is National "White Bear" Day, National Retro Day and falls on my favorite number! Next February 27th calls for a celebration! 🐻❄️🩵🧁✨️
I've had a lot of people ask, what's the meaning behind white bear? We live on white bear drive so hence the name. From my research of the area, the road was named after the White Bear Hotel, which no longer graces the intersection of Bloomingdale, but was a prominent building for over 150 years and had connection to the Switchback railroad. In Native American culture, white bears, are revered as spiritual messengers, symbols of peace, and remnants of the last Ice Age. They are not polar bears, but rare white-furred black bears, considered sacred by tribes. According to Indigenous legend, the Raven (creator) made one in every ten black bears white to remind people of the time when glaciers covered the land. They symbolize peace, balance, and a, link to a, time when animals were white-coated. Seeing one is believed to bring good fortune, and they are seen as protectors that guide people to safety.