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Bedford, Massachusetts

Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population of Bedford was 14,383 at the time of the 2020 United States Census.[1]

Bedford, Massachusetts
Bedford Depot
Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts
Coordinates: 42°29′26″N 71°16′36″W / 42.49056°N 71.27667°W / 42.49056; -71.27667Coordinates: 42°29′26″N 71°16′36″W / 42.49056°N 71.27667°W / 42.49056; -71.27667
CountryUnited States
StateMassachusetts
CountyMiddlesex
Settled1640
Incorporated1729
Government
 • TypeOpen town meeting
 • Town ManagerSarah Stanton
 • Select
    Board
  • Margot Fleischman
  • Emily Mitchell
  • William Moonan
  • Bopha Malone
  • Edward Pierce
Area
 • Total13.9 sq mi (35.9 km2)
 • Land13.7 sq mi (35.6 km2)
 • Water0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)
Elevation
135 ft (41 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total14,383
 • Density1,049.9/sq mi (404.0/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Code
01730
Area code339/781
FIPS code25-04615
GNIS feature ID0619395
Websitewww.bedfordma.gov

History

The following compilation comes from Ellen Abrams (1999) based on information from Abram English Brown's History of the Town of Bedford (1891), as well as other sources such as The Bedford Sampler Bicentennial Edition containing Daisy Pickman Oakley's articles, Bedford Vital Records, New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Town Directories, and other publications from the Bedford Historical Society.

The land now within the boundaries of Bedford was first settled by Europeans around 1640. In 1729 it was incorporated from a portion of Concord (about 2/5 of Bedford) and a portion of Billerica (about 3/5 of Bedford).

In 1630, John Winthrop and Thomas Dudley of the Massachusetts Bay Company arrived aboard the Arabella from Yarmouth, England. After a difficult ten-week voyage, they landed on the shores of the New World, with Salem and Boston Harbor being the Arabella's earliest destinations. In 1637, the General Court of Massachusetts granted some 2,200 acres (9 km2) of land, including Huckins Farm[2] land to the first governor, John Winthrop, and to Deputy Governor Thomas Dudley. The following year, the two men agreed to divide the land so that the parcel south of the two large boulders by the Concord River (Brothers Rocks) belonged to Governor Winthrop and north of the Rocks was to belong to Deputy Governor Dudley. Later, Dudley became governor. Dudley's son Rev. Samuel Dudley[3] and Winthrop's daughter Mary were married; thus Brothers Rocks were so named because of this marriage of families.

Huckins Farm and Job Lane House

Governor Winthrop's grandson, Fitz John Winthrop, in 1664, sold 1,200 acres (5 km2) of this land (including what is present-day Huckins Farm[4]) to Job Lane (1), a skilled artisan and house builder, in exchange for a house that Lane built for him in Connecticut. (Note: The numbers appended to the names of Lane family members indicate the generation number beginning with Job Lane (1), who immigrated from Mill End, Rickmansworth, England.) Upon his death, he passed all of this land to his son, John Lane (2), who left it to his three sons, John Lane (3), Job Lane (3), and James Lane (3). John Lane and his wife, Catherine (Whiting), lived on the site, and after she died, he married Hannah Abbott. Upon his death in 1763, their son, Samuel Lane, inherited the land now known as Huckins Farm. Some time after Samuel Lane died in 1802, the house was removed and Peter Farmer built the present farmhouse in the 1840s. It is known that Peter and Dorcas Farmer had two children in the late 1820s and 1830s. Later, Banfield succeeded Farmer as the owner.

Samuel W. Huckins, born in 1817, settled on the land about 1870. Huckins was respected for his good judgment and was honored with various offices in town. Maps c. 1875 indicate that what is now known as Dudley Road was once called Huckins Street. Samuel Huckins lived there until his death in 1892. He had a son, Henry, who was born in 1849, and was living in Bedford in 1910.

In the late 19th century, Dudley Leavitt Pickman, descendant of an old Salem merchant family,[5] and his wife Ellen fell in love with the land. They bought a substantial parcel (mostly Winthrop's land and a portion of Dudley's grant). Huckins Farm was a part of this purchase. A direct descendant of both Winthrop and Dudley, Pickman bought the land without knowledge of the Winthrop-Dudley grant.[6] He discovered later that he had purchased his ancestors' lands. About 1889, he had the Two Brothers Rocks inscribed with the names "Dudley" and "Winthrop" as well as the year 1638, as noted in the Bedford Town Report in 1889.[7]

The land was used as a dairy farm and apple orchard, in addition to the fields, pasture land, bog garden, and ponds. Chestnut trees lined the old road between the fields. A portion of Dudley Road was named Chestnut Avenue around that time. Today's Dudley Road and Winthrop Avenue in Bedford, as well as Pickman Drive, are named for these families.

A large portion of the Pickman land, Huckins Farm, was sold to a developer for condominium development in 1987, and other parcels including the large Pickman house (Stearns Farm) were sold to private parties.

Historical sites

 
Bedford Flag – First Battle Flag (1775)
 
Wilson Mill Site marker
 
Exterior, Unitarian Church (1816)
 
Interior, Unitarian Church

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 on display at the Bedford Free Public Library is the oldest known surviving intact battle flag in the United States. It is celebrated for having been the first U.S. flag flown during the American Revolutionary War, as it is believed to have been carried by Nathaniel Page's outfit of Minutemen to the Old North Bridge in Concord for the Battle of Concord on 19 April 1775.

Though the flag previously had a border of silver tassels, the tassels were cut from it to adorn the dress of Page's daughter.

The Latin motto on the flag, "Vince Aut Morire", means "Conquer or Die."[8]

Two Brothers Rocks

When Governor Winthrop and his Deputy Thomas Dudley viewed their lands in early 1638, they decided to use two great stones on the eastern bank of the Concord River to divide the property. Winthrop claimed the land to one side of one rock; Dudley claimed the land on the other side of the other rock. They named the rocks "The Two Brothers". Over the years, the two men had many differences; however, they learned to work together and even considered themselves "brothers" by their children's marriage. The rocks have come to symbolize the men's spirit of cooperation and democracy. The Two Brothers Rocks can still be seen near the banks of the Concord River in the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. In 2009 the site was restored for an Eagle Scout project in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, and the Bedford Historic Preservation Commission.[9] The area around the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010 as the Two Brothers Rocks–Dudley Road Historic District.[10]

Access to the site is possible through the Altmann Conservation Area, named after Madeleine Altmann and source of much of her video art.

Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

The early settlers called this area along the Concord River the "Great River Meadow" because they could harvest hay along the grass banks when the water retreated each summer. Today, this 12-mile (19 km) stretch of freshwater wetlands is a sanctuary for migratory birds and wildlife. Deer, cottontail rabbit, fox, raccoon, muskrat, beaver, weasel and over 200 species of birds may be seen here.

Job Lane House

This traditional saltbox-style home at 295 North Road dates back to the early 18th century and was built by Job Lane (3), the grandson of one of Bedford's earliest settlers, Job Lane (1), a master carpenter. Job Lane (3) was a church deacon and also a town officer. His son Job Lane (4) was a Minuteman; he was wounded in the battle of Concord. The house and grounds, not far from Huckins Farm, has been restored and is open to the public from 2–4 pm on the second and fourth Sunday of the month, May through October.[11]

Fitch Tavern

 
Bedford, Fitch Tavern, c. 1895–1905. Archive of Photographic Documentation of Early Massachusetts Architecture, Boston Public Library.

Early on the morning of April 19, 1775, an alarm sounded warning the people of Bedford that British soldiers were marching from Boston to Concord. Their captain, Jonathan Willson, told them, "It is a cold breakfast boys, but we'll give them a hot dinner." The Fitch Tavern is located in Bedford center, a little over a mile from Huckins Farm.

John Wilson Corne Mill

The ruins of this old mill over Vine Brook (on Wilson and Old Burlington Road) were added to the national historical register in 2003 (see photo). A 1972 "Bedford Landmark Tour" says, "Site of the Wilson mills dating from about 1685; mills, dam, and pond passed from the Wilson family about 1770 to Oliver Bacon, then bought by Jonas Gleason (1782) and by Simeon Blodgett (1816); through the years, the site was operated as a grist mill, a saw mill, and later a cider mill."[12]

Elijah Stearns Mansion

The Elijah Stearns Mansion is located in the heart of Bedford, Massachusetts' Historic District and across from Wilson Park at 4 Great Road. Built by Stearns around 1800, it is a fine example of Federal architecture, which features brick ends, four chimneys and a doorway arched in glass and wrought iron. A carriage house is attached to the main house, and, until 1895, a structure which was known as The Boston Cash Store also resided on the property. It was the first store in the village at the time. It also became the first post office for the town when Elijah Stearns was appointed postmaster in 1825. Later, in 1867, the building became the Bedford Public Library. The building which housed the store, post office, and library has since been moved to 22 Loomis Street.[13] The home is part of the Bedford Center Historic District which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.[14]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 13.9 square miles (36 km2), of which, 13.7 square miles (35 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), or 0.94%, is water. Bedford is approximately 15 miles (24 km) from the coast.

Bedford is a relatively circular town. Its neighbors, clockwise, starting from 12 o'clock, are Billerica, Burlington, Lexington, Lincoln, Concord and Carlisle.

In addition to the Concord River which forms part of the town's borders, the Shawsheen River flows through town. Vine Brook flows from Lexington, Massachusetts, through Burlington, Massachusetts, and into the Shawsheen in Bedford. In the 1840s, a large paper mill was built on Vine Brook, that supplied many of the jobs in town.

Climate

Bedford has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa under the Köppen climate classification system), with high humidity and precipitation year-round.

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)
Average high °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)
Average low °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[15]
Source 2: National Weather Service[16]

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1790523—    
1800538+2.9%
1810592+10.0%
1820648+9.5%
1830685+5.7%
1840929+35.6%
1850975+5.0%
1860843−13.5%
1870849+0.7%
1880931+9.7%
18901,092+17.3%
19001,208+10.6%
19101,231+1.9%
19201,362+10.6%
19302,603+91.1%
19403,807+46.3%
19505,234+37.5%
196010,969+109.6%
197013,513+23.2%
198013,067−3.3%
199012,996−0.5%
200012,595−3.1%
201013,320+5.8%
202014,383+8.0%
* = population estimate.
Source: United States census records and Population Estimates Program data.[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]

At the 2000 census,[27] there were 12,595 people, 4,621 households and 3,419 families residing in the town. The population density was 916.7 inhabitants per square mile (353.9/km2). There were 4,708 housing units at an average density of 342.7 per square mile (132.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 91.19% White, 1.65% African American, 0.22% Native American, 5.40% Asian, 0.34% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.80% of the population.

There were 4,621 households, of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.4% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.04.

23.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 3.9% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.3 males.

The median household income was $87,962 and the median family income was $101,081. Males had a median income of $65,697 and females $45,181. The per capita income was $39,212. About 1.4% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The town uses an open town meeting as its legislature. The executive branch consists of a Select Board who oversee a Town Manager.

Bedford was the home of a Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP). It was the part of an initiative by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide mail order prescriptions to veterans using computerization at strategic locations throughout the United States. It has moved to the Lowell area as a result of the Veterans Administrations Cares Mission and is no longer in Bedford.

As part of the Middlesex 21st District, Bedford is represented by Ken Gordon in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Education

Bedford Public Schools operate Bedford's public school system. It consists of four buildings: Lt. Eleazer Davis Elementary (K–2), Lt. Job Lane Elementary (3–5), John Glenn Middle School (6–8), and Bedford High School (9–12). Some students from Hanscom Air Force Base, which is partially located in Bedford, join Bedford residents at Bedford High for 9th grade and beyond. There is a METCO program, where students from Boston come to the Bedford schools, starting in kindergarten and staying with the class until graduation. Bedford is also part of the school district of Shawsheen Valley Technical High School which is in nearby Billerica.

The former Center School was deactivated in the 1970s, and is today the Town Center and Recreation Department[28] Nathaniel Page School was similarly deactivated in about 1982 and today is a condominium community. Davis, Lane and Page elementary schools were all k–6 at one time.

John Glenn Middle School (originally called Bedford Junior High School) is named for John Glenn, formerly the Superintendent of Schools in Bedford, not for the U.S. Senator and astronaut. The Davis and Lane (and former Page) schools are named for local officers who took part in the Battle of Concord on 19 April 1775.

Transportation

 
Bedford Depot Park at the end of the Minuteman Bikeway

Road

Bedford is slightly northwest of the intersection of I-95 (also known as MA-128) and MA-4/MA-225 (which cross in Lexington). Important roads through town include US-3 (an expressway) and MA-62.

Rail

The town is served by the 62 and 62/76 lines of the MBTA's bus service. The MBTA operates the Route 351 express bus service, from Alewife; the bus terminates at Oak Park Drive, Bedford Woods, and EMD Serono; this service operates only on the morning and evening weekday rush-hour times and connects to the Red Line at Alewife.

Air

Bedford is served by Hanscom Field (IATA: BED, ICAO: KBED), a civilian airport, adjacent to Hanscom Air Force Base.

Rail (defunct)

A snowstorm on 10 January 1977 prompted the end of passenger service on the Lexington Branch of the Boston & Maine Railroad (see additional notes under Boston and Lowell Railroad). The line was embargoed four years later. In 1991, the branch was railbanked by the Interstate Commerce Commission. It is now used for the Minuteman Bikeway. In the early 20th century, the Middlesex & Boston Street Railway line ran generally down Great Road (Routes 4 and 225), with lines from as far west as Hudson running into Lexington and beyond.

Other historic transportation systems through Bedford included the narrow-gauge Billerica and Bedford Railroad and the Middlesex Turnpike.

Notable people

References

  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Bedford town, Middlesex County, Massachusetts". Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Huckins Farm History - Bedford, MA 01730". www.huckinsfarm.com. from the original on 1 June 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  3. ^ Rev. Samuel Dudley later removed to Exeter, New Hampshire.
  4. ^ Abrams, Mark. "Huckins Farm Homeowners Trust - Real Estate in Bedford, MA 01730". Huckins Farm Homeowners Trust. from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  5. ^ Brown, Abram English (30 April 1891). "History of the Town of Bedford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Year of Our Lord 1891 ... with a Genealogical Register of Old Families". author. Retrieved 30 April 2018 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ Dudley, Dean (30 April 1892). Memorial of the Reunion of the Descendants of Governor Thomas Dudley: Appendix [to the History of the Dudley Family]. D. Dudley. ISBN 9780598991928. from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2018 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Brian Oulighan (6 October 2014). "The Pickman Family in Bedford". The Bedford Citizen. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  8. ^ Wyatt, Rick (5 February 2006). "Bedford, Massachusetts (U.S.)". Flags of the World. from the original on 6 July 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
  9. ^ "LWV/RSC RIVER AWARD WINNERS 2003-2010". The Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Wild and Scenic River Stewardship Council. from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  10. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 15 April 2008.
  11. ^ "Friends of the Job Lane House, Bedford, Massachusetts USA". Job Lane House. from the original on 7 March 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  12. ^ Excerpt from a copy of "Bedford landmark Tour, presented by Bedford Historical Society, written by the society's president John Abbott, 1972.
  13. ^ http://www.bedfordmahistory.org/documents/Historic%20District%20brochure.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  14. ^ . Archived from the original on 26 May 2017.
  15. ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Bedford, MA". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  16. ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Boston". National Weather Service. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Total Population (P1), 2010 Census Summary File 1". American FactFinder, All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts. United States Census Bureau. 2010.
  18. ^ "Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision - GCT-T1. Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  19. ^ "1990 Census of Population, General Population Characteristics: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1990. Table 76: General Characteristics of Persons, Households, and Families: 1990. 1990 CP-1-23. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  20. ^ "1980 Census of the Population, Number of Inhabitants: Massachusetts" (PDF). US Census Bureau. December 1981. Table 4. Populations of County Subdivisions: 1960 to 1980. PC80-1-A23. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  21. ^ "1950 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. 1952. Section 6, Pages 21-10 and 21-11, Massachusetts Table 6. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1930 to 1950. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  22. ^ "1920 Census of Population" (PDF). Bureau of the Census. Number of Inhabitants, by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. Pages 21-5 through 21-7. Massachusetts Table 2. Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions: 1920, 1910, and 1920. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  23. ^ "1890 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. Pages 179 through 182. Massachusetts Table 5. Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions: 1880 and 1890. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  24. ^ "1870 Census of the Population" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1872. Pages 217 through 220. Table IX. Population of Minor Civil Divisions, &c. Massachusetts. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  25. ^ "1860 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1864. Pages 220 through 226. State of Massachusetts Table No. 3. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  26. ^ "1850 Census" (PDF). Department of the Interior, Census Office. 1854. Pages 338 through 393. Populations of Cities, Towns, &c. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  27. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 31 January 2008.
    - "Census 2000 Demographic Profile Highlights for Bedford, MA". U.S. Census Bureau. 2000. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  28. ^ . bedford.ma.us. Archived from the original on 12 November 2005. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  29. ^ "From Hero Worship to Headliner". Boston Globe. 17 May 2002. from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  30. ^ . Archived from the original on 5 May 2010.
  31. ^ "Will Bedford man become next VP?". Lowell Sun. 17 July 2016. from the original on 20 July 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  32. ^ . Bedford Minuteman. 1 February 2006. Archived from the original on 29 January 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.

Further reading

  • Boston.com profile of Bedford
  • by Wall & Gray. .
  • History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume 1 (A-H), Volume 2 (L–W) compiled by Samuel Adams Drake, published 1879 and 1880. 572 and 505 pages. Section on Bedford in Volume 2, page 241, by Josiah A. Stearns.
  • History of the Town of Bedford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, by Abram English Brown, published 1891, 158 pages.

External links

  • Town of Bedford official website
  • Bedford Chamber of Commerce
  • Bedford is Business Commercial Economic Development Resource Center
  • The Rotary Club of Bedford
  • Bedford Historical Society

bedford, massachusetts, confused, with, parts, this, article, those, related, demographics, need, updated, please, help, update, this, article, reflect, recent, events, newly, available, information, 2019, bedford, town, middlesex, county, massachusetts, unite. Not to be confused with New Bedford Massachusetts Parts of this article those related to Demographics need to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information May 2019 Bedford is a town in Middlesex County Massachusetts United States The population of Bedford was 14 383 at the time of the 2020 United States Census 1 Bedford MassachusettsTownBedford DepotFlagSealLocation in Middlesex County in MassachusettsCoordinates 42 29 26 N 71 16 36 W 42 49056 N 71 27667 W 42 49056 71 27667 Coordinates 42 29 26 N 71 16 36 W 42 49056 N 71 27667 W 42 49056 71 27667CountryUnited StatesStateMassachusettsCountyMiddlesexSettled1640Incorporated1729Government TypeOpen town meeting Town ManagerSarah Stanton Select BoardMargot Fleischman Emily Mitchell William Moonan Bopha Malone Edward PierceArea Total13 9 sq mi 35 9 km2 Land13 7 sq mi 35 6 km2 Water0 1 sq mi 0 3 km2 Elevation135 ft 41 m Population 2020 Total14 383 Density1 049 9 sq mi 404 0 km2 Time zoneUTC 5 Eastern Summer DST UTC 4 Eastern ZIP Code01730Area code339 781FIPS code25 04615GNIS feature ID0619395Websitewww bedfordma gov Contents 1 History 1 1 Huckins Farm and Job Lane House 2 Historical sites 2 1 Bedford Flag 2 2 Two Brothers Rocks 2 3 Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge 2 4 Job Lane House 2 5 Fitch Tavern 2 6 John Wilson Corne Mill 2 7 Elijah Stearns Mansion 3 Geography 3 1 Climate 4 Demographics 5 Government 6 Education 7 Transportation 7 1 Road 7 2 Rail 7 3 Air 7 4 Rail defunct 8 Notable people 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External linksHistory EditThe following compilation comes from Ellen Abrams 1999 based on information from Abram English Brown sHistory of the Town of Bedford 1891 as well as other sources such asThe Bedford Sampler Bicentennial Editioncontaining Daisy Pickman Oakley s articles Bedford Vital Records New England Historical and Genealogical Register Town Directories and other publications from the Bedford Historical Society The land now within the boundaries of Bedford was first settled by Europeans around 1640 In 1729 it was incorporated from a portion of Concord about 2 5 of Bedford and a portion of Billerica about 3 5 of Bedford In 1630 John Winthrop and Thomas Dudley of the Massachusetts Bay Company arrived aboard the Arabella from Yarmouth England After a difficult ten week voyage they landed on the shores of the New World with Salem and Boston Harbor being the Arabella s earliest destinations In 1637 the General Court of Massachusetts granted some 2 200 acres 9 km2 of land including Huckins Farm 2 land to the first governor John Winthrop and to Deputy Governor Thomas Dudley The following year the two men agreed to divide the land so that the parcel south of the two large boulders by the Concord River Brothers Rocks belonged to Governor Winthrop and north of the Rocks was to belong to Deputy Governor Dudley Later Dudley became governor Dudley s son Rev Samuel Dudley 3 and Winthrop s daughter Mary were married thus Brothers Rocks were so named because of this marriage of families Huckins Farm and Job Lane House Edit Governor Winthrop s grandson Fitz John Winthrop in 1664 sold 1 200 acres 5 km2 of this land including what is present day Huckins Farm 4 to Job Lane 1 a skilled artisan and house builder in exchange for a house that Lane built for him in Connecticut Note The numbers appended to the names of Lane family members indicate the generation number beginning with Job Lane 1 who immigrated from Mill End Rickmansworth England Upon his death he passed all of this land to his son John Lane 2 who left it to his three sons John Lane 3 Job Lane 3 and James Lane 3 John Lane and his wife Catherine Whiting lived on the site and after she died he married Hannah Abbott Upon his death in 1763 their son Samuel Lane inherited the land now known as Huckins Farm Some time after Samuel Lane died in 1802 the house was removed and Peter Farmer built the present farmhouse in the 1840s It is known that Peter and Dorcas Farmer had two children in the late 1820s and 1830s Later Banfield succeeded Farmer as the owner Samuel W Huckins born in 1817 settled on the land about 1870 Huckins was respected for his good judgment and was honored with various offices in town Maps c 1875 indicate that what is now known as Dudley Road was once called Huckins Street Samuel Huckins lived there until his death in 1892 He had a son Henry who was born in 1849 and was living in Bedford in 1910 In the late 19th century Dudley Leavitt Pickman descendant of an old Salem merchant family 5 and his wife Ellen fell in love with the land They bought a substantial parcel mostly Winthrop s land and a portion of Dudley s grant Huckins Farm was a part of this purchase A direct descendant of both Winthrop and Dudley Pickman bought the land without knowledge of the Winthrop Dudley grant 6 He discovered later that he had purchased his ancestors lands About 1889 he had the Two Brothers Rocks inscribed with the names Dudley and Winthrop as well as the year 1638 as noted in the Bedford Town Report in 1889 7 The land was used as a dairy farm and apple orchard in addition to the fields pasture land bog garden and ponds Chestnut trees lined the old road between the fields A portion of Dudley Road was named Chestnut Avenue around that time Today s Dudley Road and Winthrop Avenue in Bedford as well as Pickman Drive are named for these families A large portion of the Pickman land Huckins Farm was sold to a developer for condominium development in 1987 and other parcels including the large Pickman house Stearns Farm were sold to private parties Historical sites Edit Bedford Flag First Battle Flag 1775 Wilson Mill Site marker Exterior Unitarian Church 1816 Interior Unitarian Church Bedford Flag Edit 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 Ralph Waldo Emerson The Bedford flag on display at the Bedford Free Public Library is the oldest known surviving intact battle flag in the United States It is celebrated for having been the first U S flag flown during the American Revolutionary War as it is believed to have been carried by Nathaniel Page s outfit of Minutemen to the Old North Bridge in Concord for the Battle of Concord on 19 April 1775 Though the flag previously had a border of silver tassels the tassels were cut from it to adorn the dress of Page s daughter The Latin motto on the flag Vince Aut Morire means Conquer or Die 8 Two Brothers Rocks Edit When Governor Winthrop and his Deputy Thomas Dudley viewed their lands in early 1638 they decided to use two great stones on the eastern bank of the Concord River to divide the property Winthrop claimed the land to one side of one rock Dudley claimed the land on the other side of the other rock They named the rocks The Two Brothers Over the years the two men had many differences however they learned to work together and even considered themselves brothers by their children s marriage The rocks have come to symbolize the men s spirit of cooperation and democracy The Two Brothers Rocks can still be seen near the banks of the Concord River in the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge In 2009 the site was restored for an Eagle Scout project in collaboration with the U S Fish and Wildlife service and the Bedford Historic Preservation Commission 9 The area around the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010 as the Two Brothers Rocks Dudley Road Historic District 10 Access to the site is possible through the Altmann Conservation Area named after Madeleine Altmann and source of much of her video art Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Edit The early settlers called this area along the Concord River the Great River Meadow because they could harvest hay along the grass banks when the water retreated each summer Today this 12 mile 19 km stretch of freshwater wetlands is a sanctuary for migratory birds and wildlife Deer cottontail rabbit fox raccoon muskrat beaver weasel and over 200 species of birds may be seen here Job Lane House Edit This traditional saltbox style home at 295 North Road dates back to the early 18th century and was built by Job Lane 3 the grandson of one of Bedford s earliest settlers Job Lane 1 a master carpenter Job Lane 3 was a church deacon and also a town officer His son Job Lane 4 was a Minuteman he was wounded in the battle of Concord The house and grounds not far from Huckins Farm has been restored and is open to the public from 2 4 pm on the second and fourth Sunday of the month May through October 11 Fitch Tavern Edit Bedford Fitch Tavern c 1895 1905 Archive of Photographic Documentation of Early Massachusetts Architecture Boston Public Library Early on the morning of April 19 1775 an alarm sounded warning the people of Bedford that British soldiers were marching from Boston to Concord Their captain Jonathan Willson told them It is a cold breakfast boys but we ll give them a hot dinner The Fitch Tavern is located in Bedford center a little over a mile from Huckins Farm John Wilson Corne Mill Edit The ruins of this old mill over Vine Brook on Wilson and Old Burlington Road were added to the national historical register in 2003 see photo A 1972 Bedford Landmark Tour says Site of the Wilson mills dating from about 1685 mills dam and pond passed from the Wilson family about 1770 to Oliver Bacon then bought by Jonas Gleason 1782 and by Simeon Blodgett 1816 through the years the site was operated as a grist mill a saw mill and later a cider mill 12 Elijah Stearns Mansion Edit The Elijah Stearns Mansion is located in the heart of Bedford Massachusetts Historic District and across from Wilson Park at 4 Great Road Built by Stearns around 1800 it is a fine example of Federal architecture which features brick ends four chimneys and a doorway arched in glass and wrought iron A carriage house is attached to the main house and until 1895 a structure which was known as The Boston Cash Store also resided on the property It was the first store in the village at the time It also became the first post office for the town when Elijah Stearns was appointed postmaster in 1825 Later in 1867 the building became the Bedford Public Library The building which housed the store post office and library has since been moved to 22 Loomis Street 13 The home is part of the Bedford Center Historic District which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 14 Geography EditAccording to the United States Census Bureau the town has a total area of 13 9 square miles 36 km2 of which 13 7 square miles 35 km2 is land and 0 1 square miles 0 26 km2 or 0 94 is water Bedford is approximately 15 miles 24 km from the coast Bedford is a relatively circular town Its neighbors clockwise starting from 12 o clock are Billerica Burlington Lexington Lincoln Concord and Carlisle In addition to the Concord River which forms part of the town s borders the Shawsheen River flows through town Vine Brook flows from Lexington Massachusetts through Burlington Massachusetts and into the Shawsheen in Bedford In the 1840s a large paper mill was built on Vine Brook that supplied many of the jobs in town Climate Edit Bedford has a hot summer humid continental climate Dfa under the Koppen climate classification system with high humidity and precipitation year round Climate data for Bedford Massachusetts 1991 2020 normals extremes 1949 presentMonth Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord 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 Average high 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 Average low 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 5Average 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 0Source 1 NOAA 15 Source 2 National Weather Service 16 Demographics EditSee also List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income Historical populationYearPop 1790523 1800538 2 9 1810592 10 0 1820648 9 5 1830685 5 7 1840929 35 6 1850975 5 0 1860843 13 5 1870849 0 7 1880931 9 7 18901 092 17 3 19001 208 10 6 19101 231 1 9 19201 362 10 6 19302 603 91 1 19403 807 46 3 19505 234 37 5 196010 969 109 6 197013 513 23 2 198013 067 3 3 199012 996 0 5 200012 595 3 1 201013 320 5 8 202014 383 8 0 population estimate Source United States census records and Population Estimates Program data 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 At the 2000 census 27 there were 12 595 people 4 621 households and 3 419 families residing in the town The population density was 916 7 inhabitants per square mile 353 9 km2 There were 4 708 housing units at an average density of 342 7 per square mile 132 3 km2 The racial makeup of the town was 91 19 White 1 65 African American 0 22 Native American 5 40 Asian 0 34 from other races and 1 19 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1 80 of the population There were 4 621 households of which 34 1 had children under the age of 18 living with them 64 4 were married couples living together 7 3 had a female householder with no husband present and 26 0 were non families 21 8 of all households were made up of individuals and 10 2 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 60 and the average family size was 3 04 23 6 of the population were under the age of 18 3 9 from 18 to 24 27 8 from 25 to 44 26 3 from 45 to 64 and 18 3 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 42 years For every 100 females there were 99 3 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96 3 males The median household income was 87 962 and the median family income was 101 081 Males had a median income of 65 697 and females 45 181 The per capita income was 39 212 About 1 4 of families and 2 5 of the population were below the poverty line including 3 1 of those under age 18 and 4 0 of those age 65 or over Government EditThe town uses an open town meeting as its legislature The executive branch consists of a Select Board who oversee a Town Manager Bedford was the home of a Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy CMOP It was the part of an initiative by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide mail order prescriptions to veterans using computerization at strategic locations throughout the United States It has moved to the Lowell area as a result of the Veterans Administrations Cares Mission and is no longer in Bedford As part of the Middlesex 21st District Bedford is represented by Ken Gordon in the Massachusetts House of Representatives Education EditBedford Public Schools operate Bedford s public school system It consists of four buildings Lt Eleazer Davis Elementary K 2 Lt Job Lane Elementary 3 5 John Glenn Middle School 6 8 and Bedford High School 9 12 Some students from Hanscom Air Force Base which is partially located in Bedford join Bedford residents at Bedford High for 9th grade and beyond There is a METCO program where students from Boston come to the Bedford schools starting in kindergarten and staying with the class until graduation Bedford is also part of the school district of Shawsheen Valley Technical High School which is in nearby Billerica The former Center School was deactivated in the 1970s and is today the Town Center and Recreation Department 28 Nathaniel Page School was similarly deactivated in about 1982 and today is a condominium community Davis Lane and Page elementary schools were all k 6 at one time John Glenn Middle School originally called Bedford Junior High School is named for John Glenn formerly the Superintendent of Schools in Bedford not for the U S Senator and astronaut The Davis and Lane and former Page schools are named for local officers who took part in the Battle of Concord on 19 April 1775 Transportation Edit Bedford Depot Park at the end of the Minuteman Bikeway Road Edit Bedford is slightly northwest of the intersection of I 95 also known as MA 128 and MA 4 MA 225 which cross in Lexington Important roads through town include US 3 an expressway and MA 62 Rail Edit The town is served by the 62 and 62 76 lines of the MBTA s bus service The MBTA operates the Route 351 express bus service from Alewife the bus terminates at Oak Park Drive Bedford Woods and EMD Serono this service operates only on the morning and evening weekday rush hour times and connects to the Red Line at Alewife Air Edit Bedford is served by Hanscom Field IATA BED ICAO KBED a civilian airport adjacent to Hanscom Air Force Base Rail defunct Edit A snowstorm on 10 January 1977 prompted the end of passenger service on the Lexington Branch of the Boston amp Maine Railroad see additional notes under Boston and Lowell Railroad The line was embargoed four years later In 1991 the branch was railbanked by the Interstate Commerce Commission It is now used for the Minuteman Bikeway In the early 20th century the Middlesex amp Boston Street Railway line ran generally down Great Road Routes 4 and 225 with lines from as far west as Hudson running into Lexington and beyond Other historic transportation systems through Bedford included the narrow gauge Billerica and Bedford Railroad and the Middlesex Turnpike Notable people EditDoug Ardito rock musician 29 Joe Bellino Heisman Trophy 1960 U S Naval Academy Doug Coombs professional skier 30 Jimmy Fowlie actor and writer with The Groundlings in Los Angeles Helen Ramsay singer James Stavridis retired United States Navy Admiral 31 Taecyeon member of the South Korean pop group 2PM 32 Neera Tanden president of the Center for American Progress and confidant to the ClintonsReferences Edit Census Geography Profile Bedford town Middlesex County Massachusetts Retrieved 27 October 2021 Huckins Farm History Bedford MA 01730 www huckinsfarm com Archived from the original on 1 June 2017 Retrieved 30 April 2018 Rev Samuel Dudley later removed to Exeter New Hampshire Abrams Mark Huckins Farm Homeowners Trust Real Estate in Bedford MA 01730 Huckins Farm Homeowners Trust Archived from the original on 3 April 2018 Retrieved 30 April 2018 Brown Abram English 30 April 1891 History of the Town of Bedford Middlesex County Massachusetts From Its Earliest Settlement to the Year of Our Lord 1891 with a Genealogical Register of Old Families author Retrieved 30 April 2018 via Google Books Dudley Dean 30 April 1892 Memorial of the Reunion of the Descendants of Governor Thomas Dudley Appendix to the History of the Dudley Family D Dudley ISBN 9780598991928 Archived from the original on 9 June 2016 Retrieved 30 April 2018 via Google Books Brian Oulighan 6 October 2014 The Pickman Family in Bedford The Bedford Citizen Retrieved 27 October 2018 Wyatt Rick 5 February 2006 Bedford Massachusetts U S Flags of the World Archived from the original on 6 July 2009 Retrieved 24 April 2009 LWV RSC RIVER AWARD WINNERS 2003 2010 The Sudbury Assabet and Concord Wild and Scenic River Stewardship Council Archived from the original on 6 June 2022 Retrieved 6 June 2022 National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service 15 April 2008 Friends of the Job Lane House Bedford Massachusetts USA Job Lane House Archived from the original on 7 March 2018 Retrieved 30 April 2018 Excerpt from a copy of Bedford landmark Tour presented by Bedford Historical Society written by the society s president John Abbott 1972 http www bedfordmahistory org documents Historic 20District 20brochure pdf bare URL PDF Old Bedford Center Historic District Archived from the original on 26 May 2017 U S Climate Normals Quick Access Station Bedford MA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved 13 December 2022 NOAA Online Weather Data NWS Boston National Weather Service Retrieved 13 December 2022 Total Population P1 2010 Census Summary File 1 American FactFinder All County Subdivisions within Massachusetts United States Census Bureau 2010 Massachusetts by Place and County Subdivision GCT T1 Population Estimates United States Census Bureau Retrieved 12 July 2011 1990 Census of Population General Population Characteristics Massachusetts PDF US Census Bureau December 1990 Table 76 General Characteristics of Persons Households and Families 1990 1990 CP 1 23 Retrieved 12 July 2011 1980 Census of the Population Number of Inhabitants Massachusetts PDF US Census Bureau December 1981 Table 4 Populations of County Subdivisions 1960 to 1980 PC80 1 A23 Retrieved 12 July 2011 1950 Census of Population PDF Bureau of the Census 1952 Section 6 Pages 21 10 and 21 11 Massachusetts Table 6 Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions 1930 to 1950 Retrieved 12 July 2011 1920 Census of Population PDF Bureau of the Census Number of Inhabitants by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions Pages 21 5 through 21 7 Massachusetts Table 2 Population of Counties by Minor Civil Divisions 1920 1910 and 1920 Retrieved 12 July 2011 1890 Census of the Population PDF Department of the Interior Census Office Pages 179 through 182 Massachusetts Table 5 Population of States and Territories by Minor Civil Divisions 1880 and 1890 Retrieved 12 July 2011 1870 Census of the Population PDF Department of the Interior Census Office 1872 Pages 217 through 220 Table IX Population of Minor Civil Divisions amp c Massachusetts Retrieved 12 July 2011 1860 Census PDF Department of the Interior Census Office 1864 Pages 220 through 226 State of Massachusetts Table No 3 Populations of Cities Towns amp c Retrieved 12 July 2011 1850 Census PDF Department of the Interior Census Office 1854 Pages 338 through 393 Populations of Cities Towns amp c Retrieved 12 July 2011 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved 31 January 2008 Census 2000 Demographic Profile Highlights for Bedford MA U S Census Bureau 2000 Archived from the original on 12 February 2020 Retrieved 13 January 2011 Town Center and Recreation Department bedford ma us Archived from the original on 12 November 2005 Retrieved 30 April 2018 From Hero Worship to Headliner Boston Globe 17 May 2002 Archived from the original on 6 November 2012 Retrieved 23 August 2010 Ski Hall of Fame comes calling for Doug Coombs Archived from the original on 5 May 2010 Will Bedford man become next VP Lowell Sun 17 July 2016 Archived from the original on 20 July 2016 Retrieved 20 July 2016 BHS junior competes in Korean Survivor Bedford Minuteman 1 February 2006 Archived from the original on 29 January 2012 Retrieved 31 January 2012 Further reading EditBoston com profile of Bedford 1871 Atlas of Massachusetts by Wall amp Gray Map of Massachusetts Map of Middlesex County History of Middlesex County Massachusetts Volume 1 A H Volume 2 L W compiled by Samuel Adams Drake published 1879 and 1880 572 and 505 pages Section on Bedford in Volume 2 page 241 by Josiah A Stearns History of the Town of Bedford Middlesex County Massachusetts by Abram English Brown published 1891 158 pages External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bedford Massachusetts Town of Bedford official website Bedford Chamber of Commerce Bedford is Business Commercial Economic Development Resource Center The Rotary Club of Bedford Bedford Historical Society Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bedford Massachusetts amp oldid 1142327064, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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