Bear Creek (Menard County)

Bear Creek rises a mile north of the Kimble county line in south central Menard County (at 30°44' N, 99°53' W) and flows south for twenty miles through Kimble County to its mouth on the North Llano River, east-northeast of Junction (at 30°31' N, 99°50' W). Bear Creek's only major tributary is West Bear Creek, which rises 1½ miles south of the Menard-Kimble county line in northwestern Kimble County (at 30°41' N, 100°04' W) and runs southeast for twenty-seven miles to join Bear Creek a half mile southeast of Cleo. Raleigh Gentry, one of the first settlers in Kimble County, lived five miles above the mouth of Bear Creek in 1859. At that time native pecans and white oaks lined the creek, and turkeys, deer, and wild cattle inhabited the area. Bears were frequently seen at the stream, which at one time was called Viejo Creek.