100 Years Ago: Bear Cubs Die at Alton Tire Store

100 Years Ago: Bear Cubs Die at Alton Tire Store

Last summer, I wrote an article about the July 1925 grand opening of Winkler Tire Service in Alton. You can read it here: https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/100-years-ago-tire-store-grand-opening-with-bears-in-alton-84200.cfm. At the time, I couldn’t figure out what happened to the bear cubs at the filling station. I had hoped that when they got too big for the parking lot bear cage, they would be moved to a zoo, wildlife sanctuary, or som…