 Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce
1116 16th Street
Bedford, IN 47421
Telephone (812) 275-4493
Email: bedford@bedfordchamber.com
Our Mission: To promote trade, industry, tourism, and quality of life in Bedford - Lawrence County, and create an environment to advance business and civic interests. Founded in 1825 as the relocated and second county seat of Lawrence County, Indiana, Bedford was incorporated as a city in 1889 with a population of 2,541. Today, population looms at around 14,000 with 46,097 residents in the county.
The stone industry was the city's largest employer of men and by the turn of the 19th century, 25 cut stone mills operated. By the beginning of the first World War there were 4,000 men employed in the stone industry, thus named the Stone City and was nearly a one-industry town. Some of the most famous buildings constructed with Indiana limestone are the Empire State Building in New York, Tribune Tower in Chicago, and the Pentagon and National Cathedral in Washington DC. Thirty-five of the state capitol buildings are made of Indiana limestone as are a varied number of other famous buildings throughout the country. This explains why Bedford is known as the Limestone Capital of the World.
Today, Bedford is home to over 55 manufacturers, GM Powertrain, Stone City Products, Whitney Tool and Bedford Machine, just to name a few.
The civic-minded citizens have succeeded in diversifying Bedford's industrial base; growth has been healthy and continuous and the city remains one of Southern Indiana's best communities.
To download a map of Bedford please click here.
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