Bedford County, Pennsylvania
| Bedford County, Pennsylvania | |
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Bedford County Courthouse
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 Location in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania |
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 Pennsylvania's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | March 9, 1771 |
| Named for | Fort Bedford |
| Seat | Bedford |
| Largest borough | Bedford |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,017 sq mi (2,634 km2) |
| • Land | 1,012 sq mi (2,621 km2) |
| • Water | 4.6 sq mi (12 km2) |
| Population (est.) | |
| • (2015) | 48,586 |
| • Density | 48/sq mi (19/km²) |
| Congressional district | 9th |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website | bedfordcountypa |
| Footnotes: | |
| Designated | October 17, 1982 |
Bedford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 49,762. The county seat is Bedford.
Robert MacRay opened the first trading post in Raystown (which is now Bedford) on the land that is now Bedford County in 1750. The settlers had a difficult time dealing with raids from Indians and the fighting between the French and the British.
In 1759, after the capture of Fort Duquesne in Allegheny County, a road was built between the fort (which was renamed to Fort Pitt) to the newly built Fort Bedford in Raystown. This road followed Indian trails and became "Forbes Road" which passed through Bedford and is now Route 30. When the Pennsylvania Turnpike was built, this interstate toll road became the main highway through Bedford County.
Bedford County was created on March 9, 1771 from part of Cumberland County and named in honor of the Fort Bedford.
The area quickly increased in population once safety became more established. The land with its lush farmland and woodland became an attractive site. It also formed an important center on the way to Pittsburgh and farther west of Pennsylvania. George Washington stayed in the county in response to the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794.
The Bedford Springs Hotel became an important site for the wealthy. Under President James Buchanan, the hotel became the summer White House. The U.S. Supreme Court met at the hotel once. It was the only time that the high court met outside of the Capital.
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