10/01/2026
Description of Bedford City, Virginia – Circa 1890
Today the Bedford Museum would like to highlight the following article about the City of Bedford in July of 1890. It gives a comprehensive overview of what the town looked like, where the town was situated, industries in the area, the people and society, as well as the beautiful drives that could be had in the county.
The following article was published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch Newspaper on Sunday, July 6, 1890 – Page 4:
Bedford City, Virginia.
Where The Randolph-Macon Academy Stands. Features of the Place – Its Society and General Attractiveness – Sights to be Seen in and Around the Place – Its Industries.
“BEDFORD CITY, JULY 5. (Special.) – None of the towns of Virginia will have as its quota this summer such an influx of visitors as were here yesterday. The chief attraction, of course, was the dedication of Randolph-Macon Academy. As no more representative crowd has ever assembled in Virginia for similar dedicatory service, many of the visitors lingered until to-day, drinking to their hearts’ content the beauty of the panoramic scenery before them. Bedford City is girdled, as it were, by mountains, which temper the rays of the sun, and make the sweet repose of sleep a luxury. Too much cannot be said of the personel of the town. At every turn the visitor is met with consideration, and whether you are known or not it seems to be the individual of all to contribute something to your comfort.
The appearance, too, of Bedford City is also far above that of the average country town. Though there are no brick pavements, many of the streets are paved with stones, while others have broad walkways of boards. This state of affairs must, of course, make life more endurable in the wintry weather, and has alike a tendency to progressiveness.
Where Situated.
Bedford City is situated on the Norfolk and Western, nearly halfway between Lynchburg and Roanoke, in the centre of the beautiful Piedmont section, well know for it healthfulness, the section is unsurpassed for variety of scenery, bold and exquisite landscapes, most notable being the Peaks of Otter, nine miles distant. Its summer temperature is made delightful by the topography of the country, and the mountains temper the chilling blasts of winter.
Bedford City and the adjacent country is gently rolling, rising on the western border to mountainous. This, of course, creates excellent natural drainage, and absolute immunity from all malarial troubles.
The city is liberally supplied with a chemically pure free stone water, delivered direct by a gravity system from its source on the Peaks of Otter. It is sufficiently abundant to admit of frequent flushing, so that it never remains long enough in the mains to become impure or stale. Such a state of affairs is a sine qua non to health and comfort, and no place can offer a stronger inducement than this in regard to water.
