Celebrating 100 Years of Winnie the Pooh

 

This month we’re celebrating 100 years of Winnie-the-Pooh—and the story behind this beloved bear is nearly as charming as his adventures.

Before there was a Hundred Acre Wood, there was a real bear named Winnie. In 1914, Canadian soldier and veterinarian Lieutenant Harry Colebourn purchased a black bear cub in White River, Ontario. He named her after Winnipeg, the city he called home. Winnie accompanied the troops to England and became a beloved mascot. When Colebourn was sent to France, he entrusted her to the London Zoo, where her gentle nature soon made her a favorite with visitors.

One of those visitors was a little boy named Christopher Robin Milne. Enchanted by Winnie, he renamed his teddy bear—originally called Edward—in her honor. The “Pooh” part of the name came from a swan the family had known. Christopher Robin’s stuffed animals and imaginative play inspired his father, author and playwright A. A. Milne, to create stories about a bear and his friends.

Illustrator E. H. Shepard brought those adventures to life with his delightful drawings. Here’s a fun detail: although Christopher Robin’s toys inspired many of the characters, Shepard based Pooh’s appearance on his own son’s teddy bear, Growler.

A teddy bear who would become Pooh appeared in Milne’s 1924 poetry collection, When We Were Very Young. On October 14, 1926, Winnie-the-Pooh introduced readers to his first collection of adventures. The Hundred Acre Wood drew its inspiration from England’s Ashdown Forest, where Milne explored with Christopher Robin. This October marks the book’s 100th anniversary!

Decades later, Disney brought Pooh to a new generation. After acquiring film rights in 1961, the company released Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree in 1966, beginning a long series of animated adventures featuring the familiar golden bear in his little red shirt.

When Milne’s original 1926 book entered the public domain in the United States, it opened another chapter in its remarkable history.

But perhaps Pooh’s greatest legacy is something much simpler. His stories remind us to treasure our friends, find joy in small things, and make room for a little kindness every day.

Happy 100th birthday, Winnie-the-Pooh!

A century later, you still have a special place in our hearts.

I'm giving away a fun Winnie the Pooh themed prize pack. Just click on the button below and enter for a chance to win!

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield  grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.

Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.