The community began as a lumber camp in 1850 when Capt. Welcome Hyde, a lumberman, located on the bank of the Embarrass River and cut the first road into the area. In 1880, when the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad was constructed through the area, F. W. Hyde built a store in what became Bear Creek Station. In 1885, the land was platted for Welcome Hyde and named Bear Creek after the nearby stream. After a disastrous fire in 1902, in which three-fourths of the town was destroyed, the people rebuilt and incorporated the community as a village, named Welcome after its first settler. The name was changed back to Bear Creek in 1915 because of the confusion resulting from the village and the railroad station having different names.
Geography
Bear Creek is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of, all of it land.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 448 people, 155 households, and 114 families living in the village. The population density was. There were 174 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the village was 72.1% White, 0.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 26.3% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 37.9% of the population. There were 155 households of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couplesliving together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 9.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.5% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.29. The median age in the village was 32.4 years. 27.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.4% were from 25 to 44; 21.9% were from 45 to 64; and 10.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 53.8% male and 46.2% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 415 people, 155 households, and 112 families living in the village. The population density was 448.8 people per square mile. There were 172 housing units at an average density of 186.0/sq mi. The racial makeup of the village was 92.29% White, 0.24% African American, 0.48% Native American, 5.06% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.84% of the population. There were 155 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.08. In the village, the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.5 males. The median income for a household in the village was $39,375, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $34,750 versus $19,653 for females. The per capita income for the village was $16,556. About 6.7% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Flanagan Brothers, a sauerkraut producer, was founded in Bear Creek in 1900 by brothers Dave and Henry Flanagan. Now named GLK Foods, the business still operates a manufacturing facility in Bear Creek. GLK Foods describes itself as the "world's largest producer of sauerkraut".
