Bedford in Tarrant County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Bedford Reunion
Settlers from Bedford County, Tennessee, came to this area in the 1870s. Weldon Wiles Bobo opened a store and grist mill, and several families established New Hope Church in 1874, also using the building as a school. The post office opened in 1877, and, in 1882, residents established Bedford College, a private college that also served as a public community school.
A prestigious institution, with graduates becoming leaders in many fields, the college held its first term at New Hope Church. Many church founders were also college trustees, including Bobo, Milton Moore, Benjamin J. Valentine and Richard T. Valentine.
The school burned in 1894 and never reopened. In 1912, though, approximately 500 people met on the grounds of New Hope Church, which by then was known also as Bedford Church of Christ. There they held the first Bedford reunion, filling the day with sermons, music, food and reminiscing. M.H. Moore and Lee M. Hammond organized the first gathering, and the reunion became an annual event, with crowds in the thousands. Participants built a tabernacle in 1915 and used it until 1958, when a new church building was erected. With dwindling attendance, though, the last reunion was in 1969.
During the 58 years of Bedford reunions, which became more about community history than about Bedford College, educators, ministers and public officials, including two congressmen, delivered speeches to the crowds. Area newspapers covered reunion highlights, and through these stories and the memories of those who attended the later reunions, Bedford's early history is remembered.
Erected 2002 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 12888.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Education • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.
Location. 32° 50.718′ N, 97° 7.894′ W. Marker is in Bedford, Texas, in Tarrant County. Marker is on Bedford Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2401 Bedford Road, Bedford TX 76021, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Bedford Church of Christ (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of Bedford School (approx. half a mile away); Spring Garden School (approx. one mile away); Site of Oak Grove Methodist Church (approx. 1.2 miles away); Spring Garden Community (approx. 1˝ miles away); Hurst-Euless-Bedford American Legion Post 379 (approx. 1.9 miles away); Riley Cemetery (approx. 2.1 miles away); Frontier Justice (approx. 2.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bedford.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 21, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 18, 2021, by J Frye of Fort Worth, Texas. This page has been viewed 279 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 18, 2021, by J Frye of Fort Worth, Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.