Onward is an unincorporated community located in Sharkey County, Mississippi, at the junction of Mississippi Highway 1 and U.S. Route 61. Onward is approximately south of Cary and approximately north of Valley Park. Onward had a post office from about 1879 to 1975. The post office was housed in Onward Store in the early to mid-twentieth century. A state historical highway marker on the grounds of Onward Store commemorates the creation of the Teddy Bear. In 1902, former United States President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a captive bear during a bear hunt at nearby Smedes Plantation. Subsequent political cartoons inspired the creation of the Teddy Bear. A map from 1873 shows Onward located approximately west of its current location, at the confluence of Black Bayou and Deer Creek, with the towns of "Reality" and "Good Intent" located to the south. Gallery References Unincorporated communities in Sharkey County, Mississippi Unincorporated communities in Mississippi