The small town of White River, Ontario holds a heartwarming piece of literary history as the birthplace of Winnie the Pooh.
In 1914, a Canadian soldier and animal lover, Lieutenant Harry Colebourn, purchased a black bear club at the White River train station for $20. He named her “Winnie” after his hometown of Winnipeg. Winnie had quite the adventure until Lieutenant Colebourn and his team were deployed to France. He left Winnie in the loving care of the London Zoo where she was a big hit with children, including author A.A. Milne’s son Christopher. This bear would eventually inspire Milne’s beloved stories of Winnie the Pooh.
To explore the Winnie the Pooh memorial, a small museum, and learn more about the bear that charmed the world, you too can visit White River. This is a must-stop for any true Pooh fan!
As Pooh himself would say, “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” A visit to White River perfectly captures this sentiment – a small town with a big story to share.
