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Brief History of Bedford, Virginia Here was the life they dreamed of.... Bedford County and Town agonized during World War II, as hundreds of its young men were casualties of battle. The historic Allied invasion on the beaches of Normandy, France extracted a terrible toll: 19 Bedford men died on Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944. Bedford is today the site of the new National D-Day Memorial Monument. President Bush was one of 22,000 people at the dedication on 6 June 2001. He remarked,
Bedford is a special place, a beautiful place with a great history. A brief History of Bedford County Bedford County is located in southwestern part of the state of Virginia, between the cities of Roanoke, to the West, and Lynchburg, to the East. It is bounded on the North by the Blue Ridge Mountains with the majestic Peaks of Otter, and on the South by Smith Mountain Lake, and on the East by the James River. Long before the coming of European explorers, native American Indians lived here, at least as far back in time as several thousand years B.C. The initial explorers in the 1600’s reported finding tribes of Saponi, Tutelo, and Monacan. The English colony of Virginia was divided into eight shires in 1634. The shires were subsequently subdivided into large counties, and then smaller counties. Bedford County was formed from Lunenburg County by an act in November 1753, to take effect on 10 May 1754, with the seat of government to be the community of New London. The County was named Bedford, in honor of John Russell, the fourth Duke of Bedford, who was Secretary of State of Great Britain at the time. Settlers came to Bedford to farm and to exploit the natural resources of timber and fertile lands, well watered by springs, creeks and streams fed by rains coming off the mountains. Lula Jeter Parker, in Parker’s History of Bedford County, records that “Campbell County was taken from Bedford County in 1782. Again, in 1786, Bedford gave of her territory for the formation of still another county, Franklin, to which Henry County also contributed. See description at Parker's History. The county seat was moved in 1782 from New London, then near the Bedford-Campbell border, to a more central location, with a new log courthouse, on land donated to be the new Town of Liberty. In 1786 John Lynch obtained charter to start a new town on the James River, which later became the City of Lynchburg. In 1806 President Thomas Jefferson began construction of the octagonal summer retreat home, “Poplar Forest’, on land inherited decades earlier by his late wife. Much of the manual labor on the farms and plantations was done by slaves. From Slaves to Satellites notes that “In the 1850’s, some 69% of all landowners owned slaves. See Slavery on Virginia Farms. Historical Diary of Bedford records that on April 1, 1852 the Virginia & Tennessee railroad ran an excursion from Lynchburg to Forest Depot and back. See Historical Diary. War between the states embroiled people of Bedford. A History of Bedford County (in the 1884 Hardesty’s Encyclopedia) says "When the Richmond convention passed the ordinance of secession, April 17, 1861, Bedford County citizens enthusiastically ratified the action of their delegates to that body. The services of three Bedford companies were the first in the State tendered and accepted by Governor Letcher after the call for troops, and nine companies were in the field before the close of May, 1861." More info at Hardesty - Civil War gives description of this book, which contains some family histories and a roll of Civil War soldiers An estimated 15,000 Federal Union army soldiers, commanded by Gen. David Hunter and intent upon capturing Lynchburg, streamed over the Blue Ridge between the two Peaks of Otter, came into Bedford in June 1864. They skirmished to the outskirts of Lynchburg but "Hunter’s Raid" failed its objective. The Peaks of Otter Life and Times explains. General Hunter believed that the Confederate forces in the city were too strong for his tired and hungry men. The next day he retreated, followed by Confederate snipers, losing one hundred men as he passed back through Liberty and on into West Virginia. See Peaks of Otter. Slavery ended during the war. After enduring a tedious economic recovery after the end of the Civil War, Bedford industry flourished in the 1890’s and tourists enjoyed the mountains and resort hotels. Liberty changed its name to Bedford City. During World War II, during Korea, and during Vietnam — and even back in World War I — local men served in the Army Air Corps, the USAF, Navy, and Marines — as crewmen and pilots. Personal recollections of these men, along with unpublished photos are found in History of Aviation - They Were There. See Aviation History. After peace returned, businesses prospered. A dam was built on the Staunton River, creating Smith Mountain Lake, which reached full pond in 1966. The lake stabilized electricity production and became a powerful lure for retirees and vacationers. The legend of the Beale Treasure reemerged in national media. For more about the legend, with true facts and maps, click on Beale Treasure - With Codes. Restoration began on Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest home in the late 20th Century. The strong postwar economy fostered growth in Roanoke and Lynchburg, and many city workers chose to make their homes in Bedford County, a place admired for its natural beauty, low taxes and low cost of living. During the 1980’s and early 1990’s, Bedford was one of the faster growing counties in Virginia. As the population swelled, newer residents stimulated the need for more schools, more roads, and more law enforcement, changes which caused local government to expand and taxes to rise. If you are interested in learning more, Hamilton’s specializes in fine books about Bedford’s history, and will be glad to help when possible. Genealogists can find family information by visiting the Courthouse and the Bedford City/County Museum. Now, look at the list of Hamilton’s books on the home page. Copyright Peter Viemeister, author of Start All Over.
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