Bedford is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It's like a neighbor to Cleveland, located just to its east. In 2020, about 13,149 people called Bedford home.

History of Bedford
Geography of Bedford
Bedford's Population
Economy of Bedford
Arts and Culture in Bedford
- Bedford Automile
- Bedford Historic District
Transportation in Bedford
Education in Bedford
Notable people from Bedford
Surrounding communities
Images for kids
See also

History of Bedford

Early Days and First Settlers

The land where Bedford now stands was first home to Native Americans many thousands of years ago. Later, in 1662, this area became part of the Connecticut Colony. A large piece of this land, known as the Western Reserve, was sold in 1795.

Surveyors like Moses Cleaveland and Seth Pease helped map out the land. The first settlers arrived in 1813. They were attracted to Tinkers Creek because its waterfalls were perfect for powering mills. The very first mill was built in 1815.

Growing into a Township and Village

In 1816, Benjamin Franklin Fitch started the Taylor Chair Company. He made chairs from special wood that wouldn't creak! This company was one of the longest-running businesses in the area, closing in 2012.

Bedford Township was officially created in 1823. It was named by Daniel Benedict, who came from a town called Bedford in New York. This original township was much larger than today's Bedford.

As more people moved in, a church was needed. The First Baptist Church was founded in 1834. It later moved into a beautiful stone building in 1893, which is now owned by the Bedford Historical Society.

Bedford became an official village on March 15, 1837. A local businessman, Hezekiah Dunham, and his wife gave land for a public square. This land was meant to be a public space "forever."

Transportation and Industry

Transportation was very important for Bedford's growth. It was on a main route between Pittsburgh and Cleveland. This route is now State Route 14.

The Ohio and Erie Canal opened in 1827, and the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad started in 1852. These helped bring more businesses to Bedford. By 1840, the population had grown to over 2,000 people!

Many manufacturing companies opened in Bedford. For example:

The B.L. Marble Chair Co. made wooden chairs starting in 1894.
The Franklin Oil and Gas Company made engine oil from 1903.
The McMyler-Interstate Company, started in 1910, was the biggest manufacturer. They even built the world's largest crane in 1919!
During World War II, the Lewis Welding and Engineering Corporation (opened 1938) was an important supplier for the military.

Becoming a City

In 1927, the Bedford Municipal Hospital was built. Today, it's part of University Hospitals of Cleveland.

In 1932, the Village of Bedford officially became the City of Bedford. Around this time, car dealerships started opening on Broadway Avenue. In 1956, they formed the Bedford Automile Dealers Association. This group helped the dealerships work together and also improve the city.

In 2023, there was an incident at a copper alloy plant in Bedford. It caused a large fire and damage. Sadly, some people were injured, and one person later passed away.

Geography of Bedford

Bedford is a "first ring suburb" of Cleveland. This means it's one of the first towns you reach when leaving the main city. It's surrounded by other towns like Maple Heights, Walton Hills, Oakwood, and Bedford Heights.

The city covers about 5.40 square miles of land and a small amount of water. A part of the beautiful Bedford Reservation is inside Bedford's city limits. This reservation includes Tinker's Creek, which flows through a special gorge. The amazing Great Falls of Tinker's Creek are also in Bedford!

Bedford's Population

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	1,853	—
1860	1,098	−40.7%
1870	828	−24.6%
1880	768	−7.2%
1890	1,043	35.8%
1900	1,486	42.5%
1910	3,791	155.1%
1920	4,582	20.9%
1930	6,814	48.7%
1940	7,390	8.5%
1950	9,105	23.2%
1960	15,223	67.2%
1970	17,552	15.3%
1980	15,003	−14.5%
1990	14,822	−1.2%
2000	14,214	−4.1%
2010	13,074	−8.0%
2020	13,149	0.6%
2023 (est.)	12,767	−2.3%
Sources:

In 2020, Bedford had a population of 13,149 people. Most people in Bedford speak English at home. The city is home to people from many different backgrounds.

Economy of Bedford

Bedford has some important businesses that provide jobs for many residents.

Xellia Pharmaceuticals is a company that makes medicines. It opened a manufacturing facility in Bedford in 2017.
Art of Beauty is a beauty supply company. They are well-known for their Zoya brand of nail polishes.
Nature Stone Flooring is a local company that makes special epoxy stone flooring materials. They are the biggest maker of this type of flooring.
The University Hospitals Bedford Medical Center is also a large employer, with many doctors and healthcare workers.

Arts and Culture in Bedford

Bedford has two main areas for businesses and culture: the Automile and the Historic District.

Bedford Automile

The Bedford Automile is a large collection of car dealerships in Ohio. It's located along Rockside Road and Broadway. The dealerships work together to support the community. They have raised money for different causes, like scholarships for Bedford High School students.

Bedford Historic District

The Historic District is downtown and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a special area with important old buildings. Some of these include the Bedford Baptist Church and several homes from the past. The District also has the Bedford Public Square and many commercial buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Transportation in Bedford

Ohio State Route 14 (OH-14) is one of the main roads in Bedford. It runs through the city and is known as Broadway Avenue. Other important roads include Columbus Road, Northfield Road (OH-8), Center Road, and Rockside Road.

Bedford also has public transportation. The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority provides bus routes that connect Bedford to downtown Cleveland and other nearby areas.

Education in Bedford

The Bedford City School District serves Bedford and nearby communities like Bedford Heights, Oakwood, and Walton Hills. About 3,400 students attend the six schools in the district:

Glendale Primary School
Central Primary School
Columbus Intermediate School
Carylwood Intermediate School
Heskett Middle School
Bedford High School

Most students in Bedford attend public schools. The Cuyahoga County Public Library Southeast Branch is in Bedford. It offers free after-school mentoring and homework help for young people. They also have programs for adults, like help with reading and job skills.