Bedford is a city in Shawswick Township and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

of Lawrence County,

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 13,792. That is up from 13,413 in 2010. Bedford is the principal city of the Bedford, IN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which comprises all of Lawrence County.

Early history

Bedford was laid out as a town and the county seat of Lawrence County,

, United States around 1825. The original county seat was in Palestine, four miles to the south, but was moved, at the urging of the legislature, to a new location as the original location near the White River was deemed unhealthy because of malaria spread by mosquitoes. The new site was named Bedford at the suggestion of a prominent local businessman, Joseph Rawlins, who had relocated to the area from Bedford County, Tennessee. It incorporated as a town in 1864 and received its city charter in 1889. Bedford was a stop on the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Bedford has a total area of , all land. The city is known as the "Limestone Capital of the World" because of its large limestone quarries that are around the area. Some of the limestone was used to make the Empire State Building and

The Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a meton ...

. Bedford is situated about 70 miles south of Indianapolis and 18 miles south of Bloomington.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cool to cold winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Bedford has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. On May 25, 2011, an EF3 tornado touched down near Bedford, closing U.S. Route 50 temporarily.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 13,413 people, 5,801 households, and 3,426 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was . There were 6,553 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.2%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 0.8%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.5% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.3% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race were 1.8% of the population. There were 5,801 households, of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.9% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.87. The median age in the city was 41.5 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 26.2% were from 45 to 64; and 20.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 13,768 people, 6,054 households, and 3,644 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 6,618 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.87%

, 0.79%

, 0.28% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.70% from

, and 0.88% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.26% of the population. There were 6,054 households, out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.81. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.2% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $31,022, and the median income for a family was $39,462. Males had a median income of $31,956 versus $22,578 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $17,649. About 7.4% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Bedford is governed by a mayor and city council. The city council is known as the Common Council, which consists of seven members. Five of the members are elected from individual districts while two are elected at-large. The mayor and clerk-treasurer are elected in a citywide vote.

Sports teams and history

* Bedford Stonecutters (Bedford High School) 1890-1974 * Bedford North Lawrence Stars (High School) 1975–present The Bedford North Lawrence High School is known for its

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

and

golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping ...

programs. The boys' basketball team, captained by

Damon Bailey Damon Bailey (born October 21, 1971) is an American former professional basketball player. He rose to national prominence after being recruited by Indiana coach Bob Knight as an 8th grader, an unusual move at the time. Bailey went on to become In ...

, won a state title in 1990, Also Indiana All Star Cole Sinclair 2001, is the only other Indiana All Star from Bedford . The girls won state titles in 1983, 1991, 2013, and 2014. The boys' golf ranks third in Indiana in sectional championships with 20, and second in regionals with 7, having produced dozens of college players including PGA Tour Pro

Craig Bowden Craig David Bowden (born June 18, 1968) is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Web.com Tour. He has two children. Bowden played college golf at the University of Indianapolis and in 1989 was a member of the Gr ...

. They have appeared in state finals many times and have numerous top five finishes. The BNL Boys Golf team holds the IHSAA record in all sports for most Finals trips without a championship with 27.

Limestone

Bedford is known as the

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

capital of the world, and is surrounded by limestone quarries. A common name for the light gray

Indiana limestone Indiana limestone — also known as Bedford limestone in the building trade — has long been an economically important building material, particularly for monumental public structures. Indiana limestone is a more common term for Salem Limestone, ...

quarried in south central Indiana is "Bedford limestone", or " Bedford Oolitic limestone". Much of the limestone used in the construction of various

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, monuments was quarried in the Bedford area. Limestone from a nearby quarry, called the "Empire Quarry", was used to build the Empire State Building in New York City. Bedford area limestone was also used in the construction of the Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church located in Merrillville, Indiana. Bedford received $500,000 in grants from the federal government to build a ten-story replica of the

Great Pyramid of Giza The Great Pyramid of Giza is the biggest Egyptian pyramid and the tomb of Fourth Dynasty pharaoh Khufu. Built in the early 26th century BC during a period of around 27 years, the pyramid is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient Worl ...

out of local limestone; however, the work was never completed, despite a further $125,000 being allocated to finish it. An 800-foot limestone replica of the

Great Wall of China The Great Wall of China (, literally "ten thousand ''li'' wall") is a series of fortifications that were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against various nomadic gro ...

was also built. Construction took place in 1981 and cost $200,000. Construction on the main pyramid ceased in 1982.

Transportation

* No Interstate highways are nearby; the closest is Interstate 69, approximately 20 miles (35 km) west. * U.S. Highway 50 goes through the heart of the city, connecting Bedford with Seymour to the east, and

Vincennes Vincennes (, ) is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. It is next to but does not include the Château de Vincennes and Bois de Vincennes, which are attache ...

to the west. Travel through Southern Indiana is often somewhat inconvenient, however, due to the hilly nature of the area. * State Road 37 connects Bedford to Bloomington to the north and Mitchell to the south. *Bedford was served by:

Indiana Rail Road The Indiana Rail Road is a United States Class II railroad, originally operating over former Illinois Central Railroad trackage from Newton, Illinois, to Indianapolis, Indiana, a distance of . This line, now known as the Indiana Rail Road's Indi ...

, via the former

Monon Railroad The Monon Railroad , also known as the Chicago, Indianapolis, and Louisville Railway from 1897 to 1971, was an American railroad that operated almost entirely within the state of Indiana. The Monon was merged into the Louisville and Nashville Ra ...

line to

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

, and on the Canadian Pacific Railway's former Milwaukee Road line to Terre Haute, Indiana with connections to

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

. (The Canadian Pacific line was sold to the

, on July 1, 2006.)

Education

The Bedford area has six elementary schools: Parkview Primary, Parkview Intermediate, Needmore Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Dollens Elementary, and Shawswick Elementary. There are two middle schools that feed into

Bedford North Lawrence High School Bedford North Lawrence High School is a comprehensive, four-year public high school located in the eastern part of Bedford, Indiana. It is accredited by the Indiana Department of Education and North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. ...

: Bedford Middle School (BMS) and Oolitic Middle School (OMS). The two private schools in the city are St. Vincent Catholic School and Stone City Christian Academy. Lawrence County Independent School was founded in 2021. The town has a lending library, the Bedford Public Library.

Statistics

According to research there were 26 registered sex offenders living in Bedford, Indiana in July 2011 The ratio of number of residents in Bedford to the number of sex offenders is 516 to 1. Bedford has a low murder rate with only 6 murders between 1999 and 2010. Bedford has a slightly higher rate of rape with 37 rapes occurring between 1999 and 2010. As a whole, by comparison to the national average of crime rate, Bedford is significantly lower than average.

Profiles of Bedford

Bedford, Indiana was featured as the subject of an hour-long

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

special entitle
''Our Town: Bedford''
first aired in May 2006. It was produced by PBS affiliate

WTIU WTIU, virtual channel 30 (UHF digital channel 33), is a Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) member television station serving Indianapolis, Indiana, United States that is licensed to Bloomington. Owned by Indiana University, it is a siste ...

Bloomington, Indiana Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the central region of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the seventh-largest city in Indiana and the fourth-largest outside the Indianapolis metropolitan area. According to the Mo ...

. Bedford was recognized by the State of Indiana in 2013 by being named a Stellar Community. The Stellar Communities program is under the direction of Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann and is a multi-agency partnership among the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, the Indiana Department of Transportation and the State Revolving Fund. Only two Indiana communities are designated as such each year; Richmond was the other 2013 winner. The award brings $19 million in state, local and private funds to Bedford for planned improvements. Bedford was also named the Indiana Chamber of Commerce's 2013 Community of the Year.

Nearby points of interest

* Bluespring Caverns *

Nashville, Indiana Nashville is a town in Washington Township, Brown County, Indiana, United States. The population was 803 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of Brown County and is the county's only incorporated town. The town is best known as the c ...

* Spring Mill State Park * Avoca Park *

West Baden Springs Hotel The West Baden Springs Hotel, formerly known as the West Baden Inn, is part of the French Lick Resort and is a national historic landmark hotel in West Baden Springs, Orange County, Indiana. It is known for the dome covering its atrium. Prior ...

* The Bedford Courthouse Square Historic District, Indiana Limestone Company Building, Madden School, C.S. Norton Mansion, Otis Park and Golf Course, William A. Ragsdale House, and Zahn Historic District are listed in the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

Notable people

* Claude Akins, actor * Marie Louise Andrews, writer and journalist *

, basketball player *

PGA Tour The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also ...

golfer *

Kenneth Bowersox Kenneth Dwane "Sox" Bowersox (born November 14, 1956) is a United States Navy officer, and a former NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of five Space Shuttle launches and an extended stay aboard the International Space Station. When he launched on STS ...

, astronaut * Thomas J. Box,

Congressional Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. T ...

recipient * Donald Brashear, NHL player * James Samuel Coleman, sociologist * Bessie De Voie, vaudeville performer, dancer *

Claude Ferguson Alan Claude Ferguson (January 13, 1923 – June 15, 2006), who went by A. Claude Ferguson, was an American forester, conservationist, and environmentalist. After a 33-year career employee of the U.S. Forest Service, he chose to work with environm ...

, Environmentalist * Carl Graf, artist * A. B. Guthrie Jr, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer * Aishah Hasnie -

Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...

reporter * William Jenner, U.S. senator * Becky Muncy, musician, elementary school teacher *

Becky Skillman Rebecca S. Skillman (born September 26, 1950) is an American politician who served as the 49th Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, from 2005 to 2013. She is a member of the Republican Party. Early life and career Skillman is a native of Bedford, ...

, Indiana lieutenant governor * Charles Walker, astronaut * Fred Wampler,

golfer * Bob Wicker,

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

pitcher * William T. Wiley, artist

References

External links

City of Bedford official website

at City-Data.com

at WTIU website
Bedford Online
community website
''The Times-Mail''

booklet by the Bedford Stone Quarries Co., Inc., circa late 1800s, on Stone Quarries and Beyond * The unfinished pyramid is located at {{authority control Cities in Indiana Cities in Lawrence County, Indiana Micropolitan areas of Indiana County seats in Indiana Populated places established in 1825 1825 establishments in Indiana