I’ve stayed at quite a few Jellystone locations over the years in the U. S. and Canada, including Mill Run, Pennsylvania; Niagara Falls, Ontario; and the one outside Toronto.
Locally, there was a Jellystone Park out on U. S. Route 20 just outside of Bellevue back in the 1990s, but I never camped there.
I still remember seeing the small ads in the Journal during the early 1970s, looking for Jellystone Park investors. I even sent away for a campground directory, and brochures from specific parks. They all featured the drawing of Yogi shown at right.
It’s interesting today to look at some of these early promotional materials.
Best of all are the postcards showing Yogi himself. Back in the early days of the campground chain, the costumes were seemingly homemade.
Although the artwork now used to promote Jellystone Park is first-rate, many of the early promotional illustrations of the smarter-than-the-average bear were lousier-than-the-average. But these off-model efforts still had a wacky charm.
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| This postcard featured a gluttonous Boo Boo Bear. |
To learn more about the history of Jellystone Parks, click here.
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| July 25, 1980 Plain Dealer ad |