Bedford through the centuries

After being home to Lenape (Delaware) people for more than a millennium, the land that would become Bedford was settled by Europeans in the early 1600s. In 1644, Dutch soldiers led by Captain John Underhill attacked a gathering of local tribes near what is now the border between Bedford and Pound Ridge, killing an estimated 500 people. In 1680, native leaders deeded land to a group of Puritan settlers, who established a New England-style three-acre common that remains at the heart of Bedford Village.

In 1700, King William’s decree transferred Bedford from Connecticut to New York, and by 1710, the population had reached 156. Thirteen years later, settlers made their final purchase from Native Americans. In 1762, brothers David and Benjamin Hays, northern Westchester County’s earliest Jewish settlers, moved to the village. Both would serve during the Revolutionary War, a time when Bedford—on “neutral ground” between British and American forces—saw families divided between Loyalists and Patriots.

In 1779, a cavalry raid led by British Lt. Col. Samuel Birch burned nearly all of Bedford Village; just one house survived. Two years later, French General Rochambeau’s forces passed through Bedford on their way to join General Washington before the victory at Yorktown, Va.

Bedford Courthouse, built in 1787, saw Aaron Burr argue cases on its opening day, Jan. 28, 1788. By 1790, the population had grown to nearly 2,500. The first Bedford Post Office opened in 1797.

By the mid-19th century, the railroad had reached the area, with stations at Bedford and Whitlockville. Easier access to New York City encouraged dairy farming and growth near the rail line.

During the Civil War, Bedford native Granville Phillips served in the 29th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry (Colored). In 1873, Bedford saw the launch of the Katonah Sentinel (later Recorder), its first newspaper. Telephone service arrived in 1894.

Construction of the Cornell Dam would flood old Katonah and Whitlockville. Over the next decade, residents moved about 55 homes, businesses and churches a mile south, creating New Katonah on April 5, 1897.

The early 20th century brought the Bedford Free Library, Bedford Station Fire Department, Bedford Historical Society and a growing network of schools, civic organizations and community institutions. During World War I, Bedford’s Farmerettes helped support local agriculture while many men served overseas. Other notable events included the operation of LaRoe Airport and a devastating 1929 fire in downtown Bedford Hills.

Alcoholics Anonymous co-founders Bill and Lois Wilson moved to Stepping Stones in Katonah in 1941, making it a center for the organization’s growth. Caramoor was established in 1945, the Bedford Playhouse opened in 1947 and New York State acquired the John Jay Homestead in 1959.

Travel by road further transformed the town, with the Saw Mill River Parkway reaching Bedford Hills in July 1954 and I-684 following about 15 years later.

Bedford and Katonah historic districts were later added to the National Register of Historic Places, while institutions such as the Community Center of Northern Westchester and more recent initiatives, including the Bedford Together comprehensive plan, reflected the town’s continuing evolution.

Find a detailed timeline of Bedford history at bedfordny.gov/1883/History-of-Bedford-with-Timeline.