Bedford in Cuyahoga County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Bedford Historic Business District
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 22, 2019
1. Bedford Historic Business District Marker, side two
Inscription.
Bedford Historic Business District. . The town of Bedford was settled in 1837. Early residents, Hezekiah and Clarissa Dunham donated the land that serves as Bedford Public Square. The Dunhams built one of the area's first homes in 1852, which stands at 729 Broadway with the letters H and D above the doorway. Early settlers were attracted to the area by the abundance of natural resources and a large waterfall for mill sites. Bedford also served as a stagecoach stop on the route from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. The road or Turnpike Road as it was called was originally part of the Mahoning Indian Trail. By 1895 the road was renamed Main Street (and later Broadway) when the Akron, Bedford, and Cleveland Railway Company (ABC) traversed the middle of the street carrying passengers. The interurban is called “America’s first high speed long distance electric interurban” with speeds in excess of 60 miles per hour. , Most of Bedford’s commercial block buildings were constructed between 1891 and 1929. The business district had several car dealerships as automobiles replaced horses. The Hudson-Essex dealer was at 707 Broadway and Chevrolet at 15 North Park Street. Key events in Bedford history include an 1893 fire that destroyed the west side of Main Street. On October 21, 1920, George “Jiggs” Losteiner and his gang attempted to rob the Bedford branch of the Cleveland Trust at 686 Broadway. When Bedford citizens were alerted to the robbery, they engaged the robbers in a twenty-minute gun battle that killed one assailant and wounded several more. All were captured and the local citizens became heroes. Archibald Willard, painter of the Spirit of ’76, and baseball Hall of Fame great Elmer Flick were born in Bedford. Bedford’s business district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
The town of Bedford was settled in 1837. Early residents, Hezekiah and Clarissa Dunham donated the land that serves as Bedford Public Square. The Dunhams built one of the area's first homes in 1852, which stands at 729 Broadway with the letters H & D above the doorway. Early settlers were attracted to the area by the abundance of natural resources and a large waterfall for mill sites. Bedford also served as a stagecoach stop on the route from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. The road or Turnpike Road as it was called was originally part of the Mahoning Indian Trail. By 1895 the road was renamed Main Street (and later Broadway) when the Akron, Bedford, and Cleveland Railway Company (ABC) traversed the middle of the street carrying passengers. The interurban is called “America’s first high speed long distance electric interurban” with speeds in excess of 60 miles per hour.
Most of Bedford’s commercial block buildings were constructed between 1891 and 1929. The business district had several car dealerships as automobiles replaced horses. The Hudson-Essex dealer was at 707 Broadway and Chevrolet at 15 North Park Street. Key events in Bedford history include an 1893 fire that
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destroyed the west side of Main Street. On October 21, 1920, George “Jiggs” Losteiner and his gang attempted to rob the Bedford branch of the Cleveland Trust at 686 Broadway. When Bedford citizens were alerted to the robbery, they engaged the robbers in a twenty-minute gun battle that killed one assailant and wounded several more. All were captured and the local citizens became heroes. Archibald Willard, painter of the Spirit of ’76, and baseball Hall of Fame great Elmer Flick were born in Bedford. Bedford’s business district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
Erected 2005 by the Bedford Historical Society, the City of Bedford, and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 84-18.)
Location. 41° 23.439′ N, 81° 32.076′ W. Marker is in Bedford, Ohio, in Cuyahoga County. Marker is at the intersection of Broadway
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 22, 2019
2. Bedford Historic Business District Marker, side two
Avenue (Ohio Route 14) and North Park Street, on the right when traveling east on Broadway Avenue. It is in the Bedford Public Square. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Bedford OH 44146, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . Wikipedia Entry for the Akron, Bedford and Cleveland Railroad. “The Akron, Bedford and Cleveland Railroad (also known as the Alphabet Railroad) began service between Akron and Cleveland, Ohio, on November 9, 1895. At the time, it was the longest electrified rail line in the world. For 50 cents riders could travel from Akron to Cleveland’s Public Square in about 2½ hours.” Today an automobile can travel from Akron to Cleveland’s Public Square via Interstate 77
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 22, 2019
3. Bedford Historic Business District and Marker
in about 45 minutes. (Submitted on July 26, 2019.)
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 22, 2019
4. Broadway Avenue (previously Main Street) Bedford Ohio
Photographed By Akron Evening Times, October 22, 1920
5. Akron Expressman Shoots Gang Leader in Gun Fight
Click on image to read article. An Expressman is a railroad employee in charge of the “express car” and responsible for the safe delivery of gold or currency being transported in strongboxes in the railroad car. While on duty they wore a sidearm. He could have worked for one of the two steam railroads with stations in town at that time: the Pennsylvania Railroad or the Wheeling and Lake Erie. Click for more information.
from the Electric Railway Journal, October 2, 1909
6. “Akron, Bedford and Cleveland—Motor Car with Trailers Operated in 1895.”
This illustration accompanied an article in the October 2, 1909 Electric Railway Journal by F. J. J. Sloat. Excerpts: “The railroad was supplied with 15 cars, seven of which were combination express and passenger and eight were straight passenger coaches, all, however, having smoking compartments, plush seats, toilet rooms, etc. ... Hourly service was operated between Akron and Cleveland. ... Baggage was checked to all points on the railroad in the same manner as was customary with steam railroads at the time. ... The United States Mail was carried on all cars under contract.”
Credits. This page was last revised on July 27, 2019. It was originally submitted on July 26, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 289 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 26, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.