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Welcome to Bedford
E
stablished as the town of Liberty in 1782, Bedford quickly became
well known as the county seat and as a center for the production
and distribution of tobacco, corn, wool, textiles and synthetic rubber
products. The community of Bedford is located at the foot of the Blue
Ridge Mountains with the picturesque Peaks of Otter as a backdrop.
The Peaks of Otter was named by a group of Scottish settlers who
believed the mountains resembled those in Scotland.
Many of Bedford’s structures were built in the 1880’s and 1890’s,
replacing the wooden buildings lost in a fire in 1884. The primary
architecture reflects the Victorian era’s Italianate style with ornate
window details and a wide variety of arches and decorative cornices.
In contrast to the elaborate Victorian buildings, Bedford also boasts
a number of Classical Revival buildings, elegant in the simplicity of
their design.
It is in this setting that the famed “Bedford Boys” would spend their
youth. Most joined up with Company A of the 116th Infantry Regiment
of the 29th Division. The primary incentive for many was the extra
dollar per day and the handsome new uniforms that many of the
men felt would attract the ladies. Few of them believed they would
be mobilized for war and embroiled in the largest invasion in history.
Trace their footsteps through what would become the most important
event of the 20th century.
Begin your tour at the National D-Day Memorial where you will learn
the history of the Normandy Invasion and the price one community
paid to be free.
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1. Bedford Welcome Center:
Learn about Bedford’s sister cities in France and how those in France
pay homage to Bedford’s sacrifice.
2. Liberty Station:
As in other small towns, Bedford’s railroad station was the hub of
community life. Transportation of passengers, freight and mail,
from the railways’ inception through World War II and the Industrial
Revolution, meant that railroad stations were a vital part of both the
local and national economy.
In 1881, the Norfolk and Western Railroad emerged from a series of
railway expansions and consolidations. Under its direction, Bedford’s
station enjoyed and suffered the same consequences as the rest of the
nation’s railways. These included economic booms and depressions,
the effects of war, and finally, near-abandonment in the face of
automobile and airplane travel.
For Bedford, railroad activity flourished through the 1920’s. The
numerous passenger, freight and mail stops required 24 hour-a-day
service. World War II found the station participating in transportation
of troops, supplies and ammunition.
The Bedford Boys left for service from this very station.
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3. Bedford High School:
On February 17, 1941 the Bedford Boys attended a dance and farewell
party where many of them had attended high school. For many, it
would be the last time they would walk through its halls. The class of
1944 erected a plaque outside of the school to those who attended the
high school and were killed in World War II.
Photo Courtesy Brigitte Luckett
Primarily an agricultural area, the majority of Bedford’s residents took to
farming, however, there were four major factories located in the town.
4. Bedford’s Factories:
Like most factories throughout the nation, Rubatex and Hampton
Looms converted to wartime production during World War II. Rubatex
began making insulation for aircrafts and submarines and hoses for
gas masks. Hampton Looms produced woolen uniforms while Belding
Hemingway made rayon thread for the manufacture of parachutes.
The Bedford Pulp and Paper Company also contributed to the war
effort making cardboard boxes and pallets for shipping as well as
powder for firing guns.
Rubatex
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To
Blu
eR
id
Peage Pa
ks rkw
of O ay
43
tte Pe
r
aks
Bedfo
rd Avenue
2
Longwood Avenue
3
et
CENTERTOWN BEDFORD
DOWNTOWN WALKING MAP
Bedfo
rd Av
enue
1
Bedford Welcome Center
2
7
Liberty Station
Bedford High School
Bedford’s Factories
Bedford Boys Monument
at the Court House
Bedford Museum and
Genealogical Library
Ivy Bridge
9
Greenwood Cemetery
8
Oakwood Cemetery
3
4
W. Depot Street
W. M
ain S
treet
Plun
kett
St.
7
122
S. Br
idge
Stree
t
r Stre
et
E. De
pot S
treet
Cente
W. Wa
shing
ton S
treet
Crenshaw Street becomes
Burk’s Hill Road
122
Follow to find:
The Bedford Welcome Center, 1
The National D-Day Memorial,
5
6
E. Wa
shing
ton St
re
6
et
Ston
e Str
eet
ot St
reet
Otey S
treet
W. D
ep
Cou
rt St
reet
4
5
eet
Jackson Str
N. Br
idge
Stree
t
4th Street
To Rt 460
Roanoke
Str
e
Ave
nel
Ave
nue
For Visitor Information Call:
540-587-5681 or 1-877-447-3257
8 9
4
E. M
ain S
treet
To Rt 460
Lynchburg
to Big Island, Rt. 501
& the James River
43
Pe
ak
sS
tre
et
Bri
dge
Str
eet
460
to
Roanoke
122
ood
gw
n
o
L
Blue
Ridge Ave.
Mai
n St
reet
D-Day Memorial
BUS
460
221
to Poplar Forest
and Lynchburg
e
nc
de
n
pe
de
In
Bu
Hil rks
l Rd
1
to Lynchburg
460
460
43
122 Smith Mountain Lake
Booker T. Washington
National Monument
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Belding Hemingway (The Silk Mill)
Piedmont Label
Workers at Piedmont Label
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Photo Courtesy of The Bedford Museum and Genealogical Library
6. Bedford Museum and Genealogical Library:
7. Ivy Bridge Café:
Known as Green’s Drug Store during World War II, this business was
a gathering place for locals. The Drug Store included a soda fountain
and many people in the community would come to read the morning
papers and catch up on news with one another. Tucked away in the back
of the drug store behind a wooden booth was a small Western Union
telegraph office. Twenty-one year old Elizabeth Teass was manning the
teletype machine on July 17, 1944 when she was stunned to receive a
series of telegrams with the words “The Secretary of War desires me to
express his deep regret……” The teletype machine continued with
one message after another. Families throughout Bedford would learn
of the tremendous sacrifice made over 4,000 miles away on the beaches
in Normandy and the community of Bedford would be forever changed.
10 Photo Courtesy Brigitte Luckett
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