Bedford, Indiana

Bedford is a city in Shawswick Township, Lawrence County, Indiana, United States. The population was 13,413 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Lawrence County.

Early history
Founded as a town and the county seat of Lawrence County, Indiana, United States around 1825. The original county seat was in Palestine, 4 miles to the south, but was moved, at the instigation of the legislature, to a new location as the original location near the White River was deemed unhealthy because of malaria spread by mosquitoes. The new site was named Bedford at the suggestion of a prominent local businessman, Joseph Rawlins, who had relocated to the area from Bedford County, Tennessee.

The city received a charter in 1889.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,768 people, 6,054 households, and 3,644 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,157.1 people per square mile (446.7/km2). There were 6,618 housing units at an average density of 556.2 per square mile (214.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.87% White, 0.79% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.70% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.26% of the population.

There were 6,054 households out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,022, and the median income for a family was $39,462. Males had a median income of $31,956 versus $22,578 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,649. About 7.4% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Bedford is governed by a city council and a mayor. The city council is known as the Common Council, which consists of seven members. Five of the members are elected from individual districts while two are elected at-large. The Mayor and Clerk-Treasurer are elected in a citywide vote.

Sports teams and history

 * Bedford Stonecutters (High School) 1890-1973
 * Bedford North Lawrence Stars 1974-present

The Bedford North Lawrence High School is known for its basketball and golf programs. The boys' basketball team, captained by Damon Bailey, won a state title in 1990, Also Indiana All Star Cole Sinclair 2001, is the only other Indiana All Star from Bedford. The girls won state titles in 1983 and 1991. The boys' golf ranks third in Indiana in sectional championships with 20, and second in regionals with 7, having produced dozens of college players including PGA Tour Pro Craig Bowden. They have appeared in state finals many times and have numerous top five finishes. The BNL Boys Golf team holds the IHSAA record in all sports for most Finals trips without a championship with 27.

Notable residents

 * U.S. Senator William Jenner
 * Indiana Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman.
 * Actor Claude Akins was raised in Bedford, although he was born in Nelson, Georgia.
 * BNL and IU basketball star Damon Bailey.
 * Astronaut Charles Walker
 * Astronaut Kenneth Bowersox
 * NHL tough guy Donald Brashear
 * Sociologist James Samuel Coleman
 * Former PGA Tour player Fred Wampler
 * PGA Tour player Craig Bowden
 * Artist William T. Wiley
 * Abraham Reynolds 1797-1875 One of the first residents of Lawrence County, (1820) Farmer and one of the founders of the New Union Church

Economy
Bedford is known as the limestone capital of the world, and is surrounded by limestone quarries, many of which are dangerously used by the residents for swimming. A common name for the light gray Indiana limestone quarried in south central Indiana is "Bedford limestone", or "Bedford Oolitic limestone". Much of the limestone used in the construction of various Washington, D.C., monuments was quarried in the Bedford area, and Bedford received $500,000 in grants from the federal government to build a ten-story replica of the Great Pyramid out of local limestone; however, the work was never completed, despite a further $125,000 being allocated to finish it. An 800-foot limestone replica of the Great Wall of China was also built. Construction took place in 1981 and cost $200,000. Limestone from a nearby quarry, called the "Empire Quarry", was used to build the Empire State Building in New York City.

Bedford is also home to an automotive plant run by General Motors.

Transportation

 * No Interstate highways are nearby; the closest is Interstate 65, approximately 35 miles (56 km) east.
 * U.S. Highway 50 goes through the heart of the city, connecting Bedford with Seymour to the east, and Vincennes to the west. Travel through Southern Indiana is often somewhat inconvenient, however, due to the hilly nature of the area.
 * State Road 37 connects Bedford to Bloomington to the north and Mitchell to the south.
 * Bedford is served by one railroad: Indiana Railroad, via the former Monon Railroad line to Louisville, Kentucky, and on the Canadian Pacific Railway's former Milwaukee Road line to Terre Haute, Indiana with connections to Chicago. (The Canadian Pacific line was sold to the Indiana Rail Road, on July 1, 2006.)

Education
Bedford is the home of Oakland City University School of Adult and Extended Learning

Bedford was also originally offered to have Indiana University, instead of Bloomington. However, the city declined this offer to further the limestone industry.

Profiles of Bedford
Bedford, Indiana was featured as the subject of an hour-long PBS special entitled Our Town: Bedford, first aired in May 2006. It was produced by PBS affiliate WTIU in Bloomington, Indiana.

Nearby points of interest

 * Nashville, Indiana
 * Bluespring Caverns
 * Spring Mill State Park
 * West Baden Springs Hotel