Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a great place to learn about early American history. In 2022, about 14,161 people lived in Bedford.

History of Bedford

Bedford's story began around 1640 when Europeans first settled here. In 1729, it officially became a town. Its land was formed from parts of two nearby towns, Concord and Billerica.

How Bedford Began

In 1630, John Winthrop and Thomas Dudley arrived in the New World from England. They were leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Company. In 1637, they were given a large area of land, about 2,200 acres.

The next year, Winthrop and Dudley decided to split the land. They used two large rocks by the Concord River to mark the boundary. The land south of the rocks went to Governor Winthrop. The land north of the rocks went to Deputy Governor Dudley. These rocks were later called "Brothers Rocks" because Dudley's son married Winthrop's daughter. This brought their families together.

Huckins Farm and the Lane Family

In 1664, Governor Winthrop's grandson sold 1,200 acres of this land. He sold it to Job Lane (1), a skilled builder. This land included what is now Huckins Farm.

Job Lane (1) passed the land to his son, John Lane (2). John then left it to his three sons. One of them, John Lane (3), lived on the land. Later, Samuel Lane, his son, inherited the land now known as Huckins Farm.

The Pickman Family and Historic Land

In the late 1800s, Dudley Leavitt Pickman and his wife, Ellen, bought a large part of this historic land. They didn't know it at first, but they had bought the same land that their ancestors, Winthrop and Dudley, had owned.

Around 1889, Pickman had the Two Brothers Rocks carved with the names "Dudley" and "Winthrop" and the year 1638. This land was used as a dairy farm and apple orchard. Today, parts of Dudley Road and Winthrop Avenue in Bedford are named after these important families.

Historical Sites to Explore

Bedford has many places where you can learn about its past.

The Bedford Flag, flown in 1775

An old seal of Bedford

The sign for the Wilson Mill Site

The outside of the Unitarian Church (built in 1816)

The inside of the Unitarian Church

The Bedford Flag

By the rude bridge that arched the flood, their flag to April's breeze unfurled - here once the embattled farmers stood, and fired the shot heard 'round the world.

The Bedford Flag is a very special item. It is the oldest battle flag still around in the United States. Many believe it was the first U.S. flag used in the American Revolutionary War. It was carried by Nathaniel Page's group of Minutemen. They took it to the Old North Bridge in Concord on April 19, 1775. This was during the Battle of Concord.

The flag used to have silver tassels. But these were cut off to decorate Page's daughter's dress. The Latin words on the flag, "Vince Aut Morire", mean "Conquer or Die." You can see this flag at the Bedford Free Public Library.

Two Brothers Rocks

In 1638, Governor Winthrop and Deputy Thomas Dudley used two large stones to divide their land. They called these stones "The Two Brothers." Even though they sometimes disagreed, they learned to work together. They even became like "brothers" when their children married.

These rocks now stand for their spirit of teamwork and democracy. You can still see the Two Brothers Rocks near the Concord River. They are in the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. In 2009, the site was cleaned up and improved. It is now part of the National Register of Historic Places.

Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

Early settlers called this area the "Great River Meadow." This was because they could gather hay along the riverbanks. Today, this 12-mile stretch of wetlands is a safe place for birds and other wildlife. You might see deer, foxes, beavers, and over 200 types of birds here.

Job Lane House

This old saltbox-style home is at 295 North Road. It was built in the early 1700s by Job Lane (3). He was the grandson of one of Bedford's first settlers. Job Lane (3) was a church leader and town officer. His son, Job Lane (4), was a Minuteman and was hurt in the Battle of Concord.

The house has been fixed up and is open to visitors. You can visit it from 2–4 pm on the second and fourth Sunday of each month, from May to October.

Fitch Tavern

Bedford, Fitch Tavern, around 1895–1905.

On April 19, 1775, British soldiers marched from Boston towards Concord. An alarm warned the people of Bedford. Their captain, Jonathan Willson, famously said, "It is a cold breakfast boys, but we'll give them a hot dinner." The Fitch Tavern is in Bedford center. It is a little over a mile from Huckins Farm.

John Wilson Corne Mill

The remains of this old mill are on Vine Brook. They were added to the national historical register in 2003. This site had mills since about 1685. It was used as a grist mill, a saw mill, and later a cider mill.

Elijah Stearns Mansion

The Elijah Stearns Mansion is in Bedford's Historic District. It is a beautiful example of Federal architecture. It was built around 1800 by Elijah Stearns. This house has brick ends, four chimneys, and a fancy doorway.

A building that was once the first store in the village was also on this property. It became Bedford's first post office in 1825. Later, in 1867, it became the Bedford Public Library. This building has since been moved to 22 Loomis Street. The mansion is part of the Bedford Center Historic District.

Geography and Climate

Bedford covers about 13.9 square miles (35.9 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water. Bedford is about 15 miles from the coast.

Rivers and Brooks

The Concord River forms part of Bedford's borders. The Shawsheen River also flows through the town. Vine Brook flows from Lexington through Burlington and into the Shawsheen River in Bedford. In the 1840s, a large paper mill was built on Vine Brook. This mill provided many jobs in the town.

Bedford's Climate

Bedford has a climate with hot summers and high humidity. It gets rain and snow throughout the year.

Climate data for Bedford, Massachusetts, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1949–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	72 (22)	75 (24)	82 (28)	93 (34)	96 (36)	99 (37)	102 (39)	101 (38)	101 (38)	88 (31)	84 (29)	76 (24)	102 (39)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	58.0 (14.4)	57.8 (14.3)	67.5 (19.7)	81.8 (27.7)	88.8 (31.6)	91.9 (33.3)	94.5 (34.7)	93.0 (33.9)	89.1 (31.7)	79.5 (26.4)	70.0 (21.1)	62.2 (16.8)	96.0 (35.6)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	35.8 (2.1)	38.7 (3.7)	46.6 (8.1)	58.9 (14.9)	69.8 (21.0)	77.9 (25.5)	83.8 (28.8)	81.9 (27.7)	74.1 (23.4)	62.2 (16.8)	51.3 (10.7)	40.8 (4.9)	60.2 (15.6)
Daily mean °F (°C)	26.8 (−2.9)	28.8 (−1.8)	36.6 (2.6)	47.6 (8.7)	57.8 (14.3)	66.6 (19.2)	72.6 (22.6)	70.9 (21.6)	63.0 (17.2)	51.4 (10.8)	41.4 (5.2)	32.0 (0.0)	49.6 (9.8)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	17.7 (−7.9)	18.9 (−7.3)	26.7 (−2.9)	36.3 (2.4)	45.9 (7.7)	55.4 (13.0)	61.4 (16.3)	60.0 (15.6)	51.8 (11.0)	40.5 (4.7)	31.4 (−0.3)	23.3 (−4.8)	39.1 (4.0)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	−3.7 (−19.8)	−0.3 (−17.9)	8.2 (−13.2)	24.0 (−4.4)	32.0 (0.0)	42.0 (5.6)	50.3 (10.2)	47.4 (8.6)	35.7 (2.1)	25.2 (−3.8)	16.5 (−8.6)	4.5 (−15.3)	−5.2 (−20.7)
Record low °F (°C)	−20 (−29)	−15 (−26)	−7 (−22)	6 (−14)	26 (−3)	36 (2)	42 (6)	33 (1)	28 (−2)	14 (−10)	7 (−14)	−15 (−26)	−20 (−29)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	3.75 (95)	3.37 (86)	4.80 (122)	3.90 (99)	3.76 (96)	4.10 (104)	3.79 (96)	3.94 (100)	3.72 (94)	4.85 (123)	4.11 (104)	4.79 (122)	48.88 (1,241)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	16.1 (41)	12.5 (32)	12.9 (33)	2.3 (5.8)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.1 (0.25)	1.9 (4.8)	13.2 (34)	59.0 (150)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	12.9	11.2	12.8	12.5	13.5	11.8	10.6	10.3	9.8	10.7	12.7	12.7	141.5
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	8.5	7.4	6.0	1.3	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	1.5	6.0	31.0
Source 1: NOAA
Source 2: National Weather Service

People of Bedford

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1790	523	—
1800	538	+2.9%
1810	592	+10.0%
1820	648	+9.5%
1830	685	+5.7%
1840	929	+35.6%
1850	975	+5.0%
1860	843	−13.5%
1870	849	+0.7%
1880	931	+9.7%
1890	1,092	+17.3%
1900	1,208	+10.6%
1910	1,231	+1.9%
1920	1,362	+10.6%
1930	2,603	+91.1%
1940	3,807	+46.3%
1950	5,234	+37.5%
1960	10,969	+109.6%
1970	13,513	+23.2%
1980	13,067	−3.3%
1990	12,996	−0.5%
2000	12,595	−3.1%
2010	13,320	+5.8%
2020	14,383	+8.0%
2022*	14,161	−1.5%
* = population estimate. Source: United States Census records and Population Estimates Program data.

In 2022, Bedford had about 14,161 people. There were about 5,540 households. The average household had 2.51 people.

Most of the people in Bedford are White (72.3%). There are also people who are Asian (18.5%), African American (3.2%), and from two or more races (3.6%). About 3.5% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

About 23.6% of the people in Bedford are under 18 years old. The average age in Bedford is 42 years.

Education in Bedford

Bedford has its own public school system, called Bedford Public Schools. It has four main schools:

Lt. Eleazer Davis Elementary (Kindergarten to 2nd grade)
Lt. Job Lane Elementary (3rd to 5th grade)
John Glenn Middle School (6th to 8th grade)
Bedford High School (9th to 12th grade)

The schools on Hanscom Air Force Base are run by the Lincoln School District. However, high school students whose parents are active military living on the base go to Bedford High.

Bedford also takes part in the METCO program. This program allows students from Boston to attend Bedford schools. Bedford is also part of the school district for Shawsheen Valley Technical High School. This technical school is in nearby Billerica.

The Davis and Lane schools are named after local officers. These officers fought in the Battle of Concord in 1775.

Getting Around Bedford

Bedford has several ways to travel, including roads, buses, and an airport.

Roads in Bedford

Bedford is located near major highways. These include I-95 (also known as MA-128) and US-3. Other important roads that go through town are MA-62, MA-4, and MA-225.

Bus Service

The town has bus service from the MBTA. These are the 62 and 62/76 bus lines. The MBTA also has an express bus service (Route 351). This bus goes from Alewife to different stops in Bedford. It runs during morning and evening rush hours on weekdays.

Air Travel

Bedford is home to Hanscom Field (BED/KBED). This is a civilian airport right next to Hanscom Air Force Base.

Old Rail Lines (Now Bikeways)

Passenger train service in Bedford ended in 1977. The old train lines are now used for the Minuteman Bikeway. This is a popular path for biking and walking.