In the 1700s and 1800s Bear was a nameless farming community with no commercial enterprise except for the one lone tavern. During this time, much of the population was illiterate so the tavern hung a picture of a bear to illustrate its name. Local farmers and travelers, including former President George Washington, who dined at the tavern after visiting Wilmington, frequented The Bear. When the railroad expanded its line along what is now Route 40, The Bear was demolished because it was in the path of the new railway. But its name survived. The railroad named a post office and train station after the tavern, and the townspeople carried on the name, referring to the area as Bear, Delaware.

When America entered the age of the automobile, U.S. 40 became the main route for travelers driving from Baltimore and Washington, D.C, to the major cities in the northeast. Motels and mom and pop’s sprung up along the roadway. In 1963, U.S. 40’s economy hit a bump in the road with the opening of I-95, spanning from Maryland to the Delaware Memorial Bridge, which in turn decreased traffic through Bear. Today, Bear is alive and thriving due to its ample land and room for growth and opportunity.

Bear is recognized for its convenience to Wilmington, having easy access to Route 1 and Route 13. There are three major shopping centers and numerous restaurants along Route 40 and the Christiana Mall is less than a 10-minute ride up Route 1.