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From May 1982 to April 1985 we studied seasonal use of domestic fruits at 330 abandoned homesites by 24 adult female, 17 adult male, and 3 subadult male black bears (Ursus americanus) in central Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. Distance-to-nearest-homesite measurements indicated that males were never closer (P > 0.10) to homesites than females or random points during any season and that females were closer (P < 0.001) to homesites than males and random points during summer. Only females were located < 100 m from homesites more (P < 0.001) than expected during summer and early fall. Food habit analysis of 857 scats indicated that bears consumed apples (Malus spp.) and sweet cherries (Prunus avium) at abandoned homesites mainly in summer, early fall, and late fall. Bears used homesites in late fall more than distance measures indicated. Domestic fruits were an important nutritional food for black bears in relation to total soft fruits eaten.