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  #1  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2009, 3:35 AM
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Bedford, PA

Bedford (pop. 3,141) is the seat of Bedford County (pop. 49,984), and is located halfway between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh east-west (105 miles) and Altoona and Cumberland MD north-south (40 miles) at the intersection of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I-99, U.S. 220 and U.S. 30 (Lincoln Highway). Bedford has an urban cluster population of 4,592. Situated in the Ridge and Valley physiographic province of South-Central Pennsylvania, Bedford is tucked into a narrow valley between Kinton Knob and Evitts Mountain.

Settled in 1751 and laid out in 1766, Bedford was a strategic location during America's late-colonial and early federal history. Originally called Raystown, the British Army established Fort Bedford there in 1758, one of a string of forts extending west across Penn's Woods to protect British supply chains during General Forbes expedition to oust the French from Fort Duquesne at the Forks of the Ohio (Pittsburgh). In the following years, the star-shaped log fort protected settlers from Indian raids during Pontiac's Rebellion. However, Fort Bedford was then attacked by rebel settlers known as the "Black Boys" in 1765, unhappy with British policy to reopen trade with the Native American tribes involved in raids targeting settlers in the Bedford area.

In 1794, President George Washington marched a militia force of 12,500 to Bedford in order to quell insurrectionists displeased with the federal excise tax on whiskey (Whiskey Rebellion). Washington established a headquarters at the Espy House in Bedford. This was an important early test of federal authority.

In the 1850s, President James Buchanan established his "summer White House" at Bedford Springs two miles south of Bedford. The mineral springs there were renowned for their "healing powers", and a resort/spa was established in 1806. In 1855, the Bedford Springs Hotel was the site of the only Supreme Court hearing held outside the capital.

Bedford long produced Cannondale bicycles, but production was moved to Taiwan in 2009.

A very old and well-preserved town, Bedford has a wealth of architecture ranging from Federalist to Greek Revival to Victorian... and even some nice Gothic Revival and Art Deco examples. The town is a big tourist draw and is quite lively.







The Bedford County Courthouse was built in 1828 and is the oldest courthouse still in use in Pennsylvania.












Lawyers' Row
























two local youths were perplexed that I would take a photo of their neighborhood gas station...






Pitt St. is the business district




the Union Hotel was built in 1835
















built in 1771






at right is the Espy House... built in 1771... in 1794 President George Washington used it as his Bedford headquarters during the Whiskey Rebellion






HeBrews Coffee Company




Bedford has a thriving banjo scene






Downtown movie theater, multiple candy stores, everything tea!!!! what else does one need!?
















a gorgeous former hotel (now senior apts)


















a lush street


it must really be inspiring to come from a town where every single building is a carefully crafted work of art


heading south of town...


...we arrive at the Bedford Springs Hotel


the resort catered to elites, including 7 presidents throughout the 19th and most of the 20th century... it also served as a detention center for interned Japanese diplomats during WW2... but it eventually fell on hard times and closed in 1981 and subsequently fell into disrepair.


From 2004-2007, Bedford Springs underwent a $120 million renovation and reopened in 2007. It was purchased by Omni in 2009.
http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel...rdSprings.aspx


golf in the Pennsylvania mountains


James Buchanan slept here... many many times


dangerously taking a photo while driving... a few miles west of Bedford exists the Jean Bonnet Tavern... built in 1762, it is easily one of the oldest buildings in Western Pennsylvania... it caught me by surprise... hence the hurried photo
http://www.jeanbonnettavern.com/


Bedford County is full of covered bridges


here's one further south near the Mason-Dixon line
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  #2  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2009, 4:05 AM
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Gorgeous lil town
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  #3  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2009, 5:28 AM
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Stiffler McGraw!

Hopefully that guy was a moustached relief pitcher before he became a lawyer, cuz otherwise that would be a waste of a fantastic name.
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Good downtown, good scenery.
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Old Posted Jul 27, 2009, 6:10 AM
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Nice. Reminds me of a few resort/tourist towns in western massachusetts I've seen.
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  #5  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2009, 9:37 AM
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I can see why you'd take a photo of the local gas station. That is some sweet place to fill your ride.
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Old Posted Jul 27, 2009, 10:23 AM
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Ho-ho-holy smoke! Beautiful photos! I wanna move there.
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  #7  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2009, 1:50 PM
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Great pictures. I was hoping that the Espy House was still standing after you mentioned it in the description. That seems like a nice little bit of early American history.

I can see why you wanted a picture of the old gas station. Most locals seem to think it's strange to take pictures of anything, from my experience. (That's why I never really have people in any of my pictures.)

How come we haven't seen much of you around recently?
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Old Posted Jul 27, 2009, 2:25 PM
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Hmmm...
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  #9  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2009, 4:24 PM
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Beautiful town and photos! Thanks!
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  #10  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2009, 6:49 PM
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Great photos. There are some very old buildings in this town. I like the simple elegance and symmetry of those late 18th/early 19th C. styles.
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  #11  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2009, 8:55 PM
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Truly a bustling metropolis. I always stop in Bedford for my banjo tuning needs.
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  #12  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2009, 10:46 PM
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PA is a fountain of great small towns. This one is a beauty. Great pics Eg, and I might just save enough money to buy that gas station. Thanks for the tour.
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  #13  
Old Posted Jul 28, 2009, 10:07 PM
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Bedford is doing a lot better (and looks a lot nicer) then I thought. I wonder if telecommuters from DC are bringing wealth to the area.
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  #14  
Old Posted Jul 28, 2009, 10:38 PM
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I remember the old Gulf Station.

What...no pictures of Ed's Steak House off the Turnpike Interchange??!!!!!

Good show.
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  #15  
Old Posted Jul 29, 2009, 12:37 PM
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freaking awesome. especially that gas station, i bet it summers in miami. thanks for the pics. this is definitely a place i want to visit now.

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Old Posted Jul 31, 2009, 2:11 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by danwxman View Post
Bedford is doing a lot better (and looks a lot nicer) then I thought. I wonder if telecommuters from DC are bringing wealth to the area.
Bedford doesn't even have a bad part of town... the whole town is relatively pristine. However, there are rougher nooks in the more rural and remote portions of the county. The Bedford area and the Laurel Highlands to the west are popular getaways for DC people.

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Originally Posted by xzmattzx View Post

How come we haven't seen much of you around recently?
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  #17  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2009, 2:38 AM
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Tremendous. Truly God's country.
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  #18  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2009, 3:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Evergrey View Post
Downtown movie theater, multiple candy stores, everything tea!!!! what else does one need!?
Well, I would definitely need a banjo shop.




Quote:
Originally Posted by Evergrey View Post
Bedford has a thriving banjo scene


Paradise!


Great tour, Everygrey! I will make a stop there this summer now.
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  #19  
Old Posted Aug 2, 2009, 2:40 AM
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Very nice little town, Evergrey!! So much history locked up in these little towns in Pennsylvania. Can't wait to see what's next!!

Sweet!!

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Old Posted Aug 17, 2009, 10:43 PM
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I was just at Blue Knob in Bedford County thursday, the second highest mountian in Pa at 3,172. Really awesome views and area, though I would not like to live there because I am a big city man.
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