Bedford (town), New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bedford, New York
Town
Town of Bedford
Stone well in the Bedford Village Historic District
Seal
Location of Bedford in Westchester County, New York
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Westchester
Town	Bedford
Established	1680
Government
• Type	Manager-Council
Area
• Total	39.42 sq mi (102.10 km2)
• Land	37.17 sq mi (96.27 km2)
• Water	2.25 sq mi (5.82 km2)
Elevation	381 ft (116 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	17,309
• Density	439.09/sq mi (169.530/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	10506, 10507, 10536, 10549
Area code(s)	914
FIPS code	36119-05320
GNIS feature ID	978717
Website	www.bedfordny.gov

Bedford is a beautiful town located in Westchester County, New York. In 2020, about 17,309 people called Bedford home.

This town is in the northeastern part of Westchester County. It includes three smaller communities, also called hamlets: Bedford Hills, Bedford, and Katonah.

Discovering Bedford's Past

The town of Bedford was started on December 23, 1680. A group of 22 Puritans from Stamford, Connecticut, bought a piece of land. They called this land the "Hopp Ground." They bought it from Chief Katonah and other Native Americans. They paid with things like coats, blankets, and special beads called wampum.

At first, Bedford was part of Connecticut in 1697. But in 1700, King William III of England made a special rule. This rule settled a disagreement about the border. That's how Bedford officially became part of New York.

During the American Revolutionary War, Bedford was an important place. It was the main government center for Westchester County. This happened after a big fight called the Battle of White Plains. But in July 1779, British soldiers burned down most of Bedford. Only one building was left standing! After the war, Bedford shared the county government duties with White Plains until 1870. Today, the oldest government building in Westchester County is in Bedford village. It's the Court House, built in 1787, and it's now a museum.

Several historic places in Bedford are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Bedford Village Historic District, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, Palmer-Lewis Estate, and The Woodpile.

Exploring Bedford's Nature and Location

Aerial view of the town of Bedford, showing nearby towns like Mount Kisco, Bedford Hills, and Katonah.

Bedford covers a total area of about 102.1 square kilometers (39.42 square miles). Most of this is land, about 96.3 square kilometers (37.17 square miles). The rest, about 5.8 square kilometers (2.25 square miles), is water.

The town shares its borders with several other towns. To the west, you'll find Mount Kisco and New Castle. To the south, it borders Armonk in the town of North Castle. To the north is Lewisboro, and to the east is Pound Ridge.

Bedford is home to some important water sources. The Cross River Reservoir is in the northern part of town. The town is also part of the Croton River watershed, which helps supply drinking water. Part of the Byram Lake Reservoir is on the southern edge of Bedford.

The Mianus River flows through Bedford. It starts from small ponds in Armonk and flows north into Bedford. Then it turns south and goes through the Mianus River Gorge Preserve. Finally, it leaves Bedford and enters Stamford, Connecticut.

Cool Places and Landmarks in Bedford

In the hamlet of Katonah, there's a national historic landmark called the "John Jay Homestead." This was the home of John Jay, one of the important Founding Fathers of the United States. He was also the very first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

In the hamlet of Bedford, you'll find the "Bedford Green." This is a small grassy area in the middle of the Bedford Village Historic District. Around the Green, there are several interesting spots:

• The old court house, which is the oldest government building in Westchester County. It's now a museum.
• A small graveyard that dates back to when the town was founded.
• An old one-room stone schoolhouse.
• Some colonial-era houses that are still lived in today. They are usually painted white with black or green shutters.

The famous Bedford Oak in October 2022.

The Bedford Free Library is also located on the village green. It's part of the Westchester Library System, which means you can use your library card at many libraries in the area.

Along Route 22, near Hook Road, you can see a very old and large tree. It's a white oak tree, known as the Bedford Oak. This tree is over 500 years old!

People in Bedford

In 2000, there were 18,133 people living in Bedford. There were 5,731 households and 4,395 families. The town had about 487 people per square mile.

About 87.5% of the people were white, 7.12% were black, and 1.98% were Asian. About 7.57% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Many households, 41.0%, had children under 18 living with them. Most families, 67.5%, were married couples. The average household had 2.82 people, and the average family had 3.21 people.

The population was spread out by age. About 26.4% were under 18. About 10.3% were 65 years old or older. The average age in Bedford was 37 years.

In 2000, the average income for a household in Bedford was $100,053. For a family, the average income was $118,820. The average income per person in the town was $53,046. A small number of families, about 2.4%, and 4.9% of the total population lived below the poverty line.

Local News

The Record-Review is a weekly newspaper that covers local news in Bedford and Pound Ridge. It started publishing in 1995.

Communities and Areas in Bedford

Bedford is made up of several distinct communities:

• Bedford Corners – This is a neighborhood near the village of Mount Kisco, in the southern part of the town.
• Bedford Hills – A hamlet in the western part of town, just south of Katonah. The historic Richard H. Mandel House is located here.
• Bedford – This hamlet is in the southeastern part of town. It's often called Bedford Village. The Bedford Village Historic District is a very old and important area here.
• Katonah – A hamlet located at the northern edge of the town.

Famous People from Bedford

Many well-known people have either been born in Bedford or lived here. Here are just a few:

Images for kids

• 

  Stone well in the Bedford Village Historic District

• 

  Seal of Bedford, New York

• 

  Location of Bedford in Westchester County, New York

• 

  Aerial view of the town of Bedford along with neighboring towns of Mount Kisco, Bedford Hills and Katonah.

• 

  Bedford Oak, October 2022

See also

In Spanish: Bedford (Nueva York) para niños