National Register of Historic Places

Bedford Historic District

Bedford (Independent City), Bedford County, Virginia
Listed
October 3, 1984
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
84000031

About this property

Bedford Historic District is a national historic district located at Bedford, Virginia. The district encompasses 208 contributing buildings in two residential neighborhoods of Bedford, known locally as the Old Avenel area and the Longwood Avenue area. The buildings are in a variety of 19th- and early 20th-century architectural styles. Notable buildings include Chestnut, Winthrop, the Thomas L. Leftwich House, Liberty Presbyterian Church (1844), John Wharton House (1848), Burks-Guy House (1884), Charles W. Wharton House (now the Bedford Children's Library), the Harrison Building (1878), George L. Colgate House (1892), Bedford Masonic Hall (1895), Citizens Bank Building (Bedford, Virginia), Bedford High School (1928), Bedford County Courthouse (1930), Bedford Elementary School (1912), Main Street Methodist Church (1880s), and St. John's Episcopal Church (1923). Avenel (1836) and the John D. Ballard House (1915) are separately listed. The District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Location

Bedford (Independent City), Bedford County, Virginia
37.33685, -79.52093

Categories

INDUSTRYTRANSPORTATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Bedford Historic District

This page lists Bedford Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Ballard, John D., House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Avenel
Industrial
0.2 mi
Burks-Guy-Hagen House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Bedford Historic Meetinghouse
Industrial
0.3 mi
Bedford Training School
Industrial
0.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Bedford Historic District listed on the National Register?

Bedford Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 3, 1984.

What type of historic resource is Bedford Historic District?

Bedford Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Bedford Historic District?

The period of significance for Bedford Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Bedford Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Bedford Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Bedford County

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Virginia history

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