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History · Bedford

Bedford dates to 1816, and 23% of its homes were built before 1940

6 places in town are on the National Register.

1816founded
6on the National Register
23%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Bedford began

When was Bedford founded?

1816

Bedford dates its founding to 1816 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1818.

2020 census: 526210 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1818.The full story ↓

What stands out about Bedford’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Bedford are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Landmarks on the Register6 places on the National Register.Deep rootsEstablished in 1816: 210 years of Bedford.Old housesHalf of Bedford’s homes were built before 1955.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Bedford’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bedford’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the National Register

6 historic places in Bedford

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
6
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
6
each building in a district counts
first listed
1983
Coleman, House
Coleman, House, built 1825Hancock HousePeak HouseOld Kentucky TavernHouse Tm-B-7Trimble County Jail
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival3
Federal2
Vernacular1
Coleman, HouseFederal · Built 1825
Hancock HouseGreek Revival
Peak HouseGreek Revival
All 6 listings
Old Kentucky TavernBuilding · listed 1983House Tm-B-7Building · listed 1984Trimble County JailBuilding · listed 1984

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Timeline

Bedford, 1816 to 1924

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1816
    FoundingBedford is established
  3. 1818Post officeThe Bedford post office opens
  4. 1825BuiltColeman, House is built
  5. 20th century
  6. 1924Born hereJack Tingle is born here
The story

How Bedford came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bedford.

Read it all →

Bedford was founded in 1816 and first incorporated in 1850. Following its loss of city status, it was reincorporated in 1946. The Coleman House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Bedford, decade by decade

Today5 recent
Hancock House in2013Hancock House inCounty Named, 1836 historical marker2013County Named, 1836 historical markerColeman House in2013Coleman House inDowntown2007DowntownKYMap-doton-Bedford2004KYMap-doton-Bedford

Questions about Bedford’s history

What year was Bedford founded?

In 1816, according to Wikidata. Bedford’s post office opened in 1818.

What is on the National Register in Bedford?

6 listings: 6 buildings, among them the Coleman, House (listed 1983, the first).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (5), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.