100 Years of Legend: USU Libraries Honors Old Ephraim in New Exhibit

Old Ephraim, a pinnacle to local folklore and often hailed as one of the last grizzly bears in Logan Canyon, is the center of Utah State University Libraries’ newest exhibit. The exhibit will be on display in the atrium of the Merrill-Cazier Library through Sept. 25.

The legendary bear was known for terrorizing livestock in northern Utah during the early 20th century. 100 years ago, his reign came to an end when local sheep herder Frank Clark hunted the grizzly down, shooting the bear an estimated 10 times.

“We wanted to curate a dynamic exhibit that would have broad appeal and engage new students with our collection materials,” Exhibition Committee Chair Devin Greener said.

The exhibit features Old Ephraim’s skull, Frank Clark’s handwritten account of the epic showdown, a mounted Kodiak bear taxidermy, a cast of an intact grizzly bear skull, and other bear artifacts. The bear items were graciously loaned to the library from the Mason Wildlife Exhibit at the Quinney Library.

The skull of Old Ephraim has been housed in Special Collections & Archives since 1978. Then-Senator Orrin Hatch delivered it to the library via helicopter after lobbying the Smithsonian for its return.

“Old Ephraim’s skull is a unique item in Special Collections & Archives,” Manuscript Curator Clint Pumphrey said. “We wanted to make sure we honored him and gave him a proper spotlight.”

The skull will be returned to its permanent display on the lower level of the Merrill-Cazier Library in the Tanner Reading Room upon the completion of the exhibit.

For more information on Old Ephraim, check out the Libraries’ digital exhibit at https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=oldephraim.