Bedford, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Bedford is a city in Cuyahoga County
, Ohio
, United States
. The population was 13,074 at the 2010 census. It is an eastern suburb of Cleveland.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.4 square miles (14 km²), all of it land.
. (Bedford Township existed as a government until 1951, when the city of Bedford Heights
, the village of Oakwood
, and the village of Walton Hills
were established. The village of Maple Heights
left Bedford Township in 1915.)
1816 - The Taylor Chair Company is established along Tinkers Creek, by Benjamin Franklin Fitch.
1837 - The village of Bedford is founded, and consists of what would be the geographic center of Bedford Township.
1861 - 1865 Bedford sends over 140 of its sons to fight in the Civil War
.
1830s - 1890s - Industries spring up along Tinkers Creek, using the fast-flowing water as a source of power to operate numerous mills.
1870 - First Baptist Church is established on the Bedford Commons before moving to its present location in 1968 at the corner of Turney Road and West Glendale Avenue.
1890s - Bedford becomes a train isthmus for the railroad network. In 1889, the Bedford Depot for passengers awaiting trains is built.
1905 - A new Bedford Central High School is opened (now part of Central Primary School, it is one of the oldest continuously operating school buildings in the area)
1915 - The village of Maple Heights splits from Bedford Township, In 1932 Maple Heights achieves city status.
1921 - Saint Mary's Parish becomes Bedford's first Catholic parish.
1927 - The new Bedford Senior High School opens at the corner of Washington Street and Columbus roads to accommodate a growing student body. This would later be known as Moody High School, then later Moody Junior High School. It was demolished in the 1990s, and the Bedford Public Library now occupies the site. It borders Tarbell Avenue, one of the oldest brick-paved streets in Ohio.
1928 - The Vincentian Sisters of Charity open their convent. Bedford Hospital established.
1930 - The 1650 feet (502.9 m) Northfield Road Bridge opens for traffic.
1932 - The City of Bedford adopts a Council-Manager form of municipal government.
1952 - St. Pius X Parish established by the Marist Fathers.
1957 - St. Peter Chanel High School
opens and Bedford High School also opens, both on Northfield Road.
1958 - Lumen Cordium opens.
1950s - The first car dealerships open on Broadway Avenue, creating the first Bedford Automile.
1951 - The villages of Bedford Heights and Oakwood are established, splitting off from Bedford Township. Bedford Heights achieves city status in 1961.
1958 - Bedford Senior High School, located at 481 Northfield Road, is opened.
1963 - Elmer Flick
, a lifelong resident of Bedford, is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. St. Peter Chanel High is expanded.
1969 - The 10-story Willard House Apartment opens for residents.
1969-1971 - Bedford High expands, adding the North and South wings, expansion of the vocational wing, and addition of the Robert W. Wright Natatorium.
1971 - Elmer Flick dies at age 94 and is laid to rest in Bedford.
1980s - Northfield Road Bridge is renovated; rededicated on September 12, 1987, by Governor Richard F. Celeste; the events surrounding the re-opening of the bridge cap off Bedford's sesquicentennial celebration.
1988 - Lumen Cordium closes; all students transfer to St. Peter Chanel High School.
1994 - The Marist Fathers leave St. Peter Chanel High School; the school also breaks its football losing streak.
1994 - Bedford Bearcat Stadium is dedicated and opens during a weeklong schedule of activities. The Bearcats defeat Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin 4-0.
1995 - Target opens one of its first northeast Ohio stores in Bedford. It closed January 30, 2010.
2001 - St. Peter Chanel High School wins its first State Football Championship title.
2003 - Bedford High alumna Halle Berry
wins the Best Actress
Oscar for her role in the film Monster's Ball
.
2000s - The Automile shifts from Broadway to Rockside Roads.
Rockside
of 2000, there were 14,214 people, 6,659 households, and 3,682 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,653.3 people per square mile (1,023.9/km2). There were 7,062 housing units at an average density of 1,318.2 per square mile (508.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 79.01% White, 17.63% African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.08% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races
, and 1.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.
There were 6,659 households out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples
living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.7% were non-families. 39.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.1 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,943, and the median income for a family was $47,142. Males had a median income of $36,524 versus $27,851 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $20,076. About 5.5% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
In 2010 Bedford had a population of 13,074. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 53.3% non-Hispanic white, 41.9% black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.2% non-Hispanic of some other race, 2.5% reporting two or more races and 2.0% Hispanic or Latino.
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Cuyahoga County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. It is the most populous county in Ohio; as of the 2010 census, the population was 1,280,122. Its county seat is Cleveland. Cuyahoga County is part of Greater Cleveland, a metropolitan area, and Northeast Ohio, a...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 13,074 at the 2010 census. It is an eastern suburb of Cleveland.
Geography
Bedford is located at 41.392404°N 81.534441°W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 5.4 square miles (14 km²), all of it land.
History
1797 - Bedford Township is founded, and is part of the Connecticut Western ReserveConnecticut Western Reserve
The Connecticut Western Reserve was land claimed by Connecticut from 1662 to 1800 in the Northwest Territory in what is now northeastern Ohio.-History:...
. (Bedford Township existed as a government until 1951, when the city of Bedford Heights
Bedford Heights, Ohio
-External links:*...
, the village of Oakwood
Oakwood, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Oakwood is a village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,667 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Oakwood is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, and the village of Walton Hills
Walton Hills, Ohio
Walton Hills is a village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,281 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Walton Hills is located at ....
were established. The village of Maple Heights
Maple Heights, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,156 people, 10,489 households, and 6,964 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,039.1 people per square mile . There were 10,935 housing units at an average density of 2,106.7 per square mile...
left Bedford Township in 1915.)
1816 - The Taylor Chair Company is established along Tinkers Creek, by Benjamin Franklin Fitch.
1837 - The village of Bedford is founded, and consists of what would be the geographic center of Bedford Township.
1861 - 1865 Bedford sends over 140 of its sons to fight in the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
1830s - 1890s - Industries spring up along Tinkers Creek, using the fast-flowing water as a source of power to operate numerous mills.
1870 - First Baptist Church is established on the Bedford Commons before moving to its present location in 1968 at the corner of Turney Road and West Glendale Avenue.
1890s - Bedford becomes a train isthmus for the railroad network. In 1889, the Bedford Depot for passengers awaiting trains is built.
1905 - A new Bedford Central High School is opened (now part of Central Primary School, it is one of the oldest continuously operating school buildings in the area)
1915 - The village of Maple Heights splits from Bedford Township, In 1932 Maple Heights achieves city status.
1921 - Saint Mary's Parish becomes Bedford's first Catholic parish.
1927 - The new Bedford Senior High School opens at the corner of Washington Street and Columbus roads to accommodate a growing student body. This would later be known as Moody High School, then later Moody Junior High School. It was demolished in the 1990s, and the Bedford Public Library now occupies the site. It borders Tarbell Avenue, one of the oldest brick-paved streets in Ohio.
1928 - The Vincentian Sisters of Charity open their convent. Bedford Hospital established.
1930 - The 1650 feet (502.9 m) Northfield Road Bridge opens for traffic.
1932 - The City of Bedford adopts a Council-Manager form of municipal government.
1952 - St. Pius X Parish established by the Marist Fathers.
1957 - St. Peter Chanel High School
St. Peter Chanel High School
Saint Peter Chanel High School is located in Bedford, Ohio, a southeast suburb of Cleveland. It is run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.-Building:...
opens and Bedford High School also opens, both on Northfield Road.
1958 - Lumen Cordium opens.
1950s - The first car dealerships open on Broadway Avenue, creating the first Bedford Automile.
1951 - The villages of Bedford Heights and Oakwood are established, splitting off from Bedford Township. Bedford Heights achieves city status in 1961.
1958 - Bedford Senior High School, located at 481 Northfield Road, is opened.
1963 - Elmer Flick
Elmer Flick
Elmer Harrison Flick was an American player in Major League Baseball from until . An outfielder known predominantly for his solid batting and speed, Flick was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963....
, a lifelong resident of Bedford, is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. St. Peter Chanel High is expanded.
1969 - The 10-story Willard House Apartment opens for residents.
1969-1971 - Bedford High expands, adding the North and South wings, expansion of the vocational wing, and addition of the Robert W. Wright Natatorium.
1971 - Elmer Flick dies at age 94 and is laid to rest in Bedford.
1980s - Northfield Road Bridge is renovated; rededicated on September 12, 1987, by Governor Richard F. Celeste; the events surrounding the re-opening of the bridge cap off Bedford's sesquicentennial celebration.
1988 - Lumen Cordium closes; all students transfer to St. Peter Chanel High School.
1994 - The Marist Fathers leave St. Peter Chanel High School; the school also breaks its football losing streak.
1994 - Bedford Bearcat Stadium is dedicated and opens during a weeklong schedule of activities. The Bearcats defeat Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin 4-0.
1995 - Target opens one of its first northeast Ohio stores in Bedford. It closed January 30, 2010.
2001 - St. Peter Chanel High School wins its first State Football Championship title.
2003 - Bedford High alumna Halle Berry
Halle Berry
Halle Berry is an American actress and a former fashion model. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image Award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 for her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming...
wins the Best Actress
Academy Award for Best Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
Oscar for her role in the film Monster's Ball
Monster's Ball
Monster's Ball is a 2001 romantic drama film directed by Marc Forster, starring Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, and Heath Ledger, and written by Milo Addica and Will Rokos. It was produced by Lionsgate and Lee Daniels Entertainment....
.
2000s - The Automile shifts from Broadway to Rockside Roads.
The Automile
The Bedford Automile began as a collection of car dealerships on Broadway Avenue. The first dealerships appeared in the 1950s. As the auto industry changed, more dealerships and makes and models appeared. This trend created a new Automile on Rockside Road.Car dealerships
Broadway- Mazda Saab of Bedford
- Smart Center Bedford
- Mercedes-Benz of Bedford
- Ganley Chrysler Jeep Dodge
- Bedford Nissan
- Jay Honda
- Ganley Volkswagen of Bedford
- Ganley Subaru of Bedford
- Ganley Lincoln of Bedford
Rockside
- Infiniti of Bedford
- Motorcars Acura Volvo
- Kia of Bedford
- Toyota of Bedford
- Rick Case Hyundai Mitsubishi
- Jay Buick GMC
- Tim Lally Chevorlet
- Fred Baker Porsche Audi
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 14,214 people, 6,659 households, and 3,682 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,653.3 people per square mile (1,023.9/km2). There were 7,062 housing units at an average density of 1,318.2 per square mile (508.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 79.01% White, 17.63% African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.08% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.
There were 6,659 households out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.7% were non-families. 39.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.1 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,943, and the median income for a family was $47,142. Males had a median income of $36,524 versus $27,851 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $20,076. About 5.5% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
In 2010 Bedford had a population of 13,074. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 53.3% non-Hispanic white, 41.9% black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.2% non-Hispanic of some other race, 2.5% reporting two or more races and 2.0% Hispanic or Latino.
City officials
- Mayor/President of Council: Daniel S. Pocek
- Acting City Manager: Kenneth A. Schuman
- Council Ward One: Warner Batten
- Council Ward Two: Stan Koci
- Council Ward Three: Marilyn Zolata
- Council Ward Four: Paula Mizsak
- Council Ward Five: Greg Pozar
- Council Ward Six: Donald Saunders
Notable residents
- Halle BerryHalle BerryHalle Berry is an American actress and a former fashion model. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image Award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 for her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming...
, Academy Award-winning actress - Chris ChambersChris ChambersChristopher J. "Chris" Chambers is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
, footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player for the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... - Lou DiamondLou DiamondMaster Gunnery Sergeant Leland "Lou" Diamond U.S.M.C. is famous within the U.S. Marine Corps as the classic example of the "Old Breed" - tough, hard-fighting career Marines who served in the Corps in the years between World War I and World War II.-Early years:Diamond was born Leland Sanford...
, militaryMilitaryA military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
hero - Mike EaslerMike EaslerMichael Anthony Easler is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder who enjoyed a 14 year major league career from 1973 to 1987 with the Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, California Angels, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees...
, former major league baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player and coachCoach (baseball)In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game... - Lee EvansLee Evans (American football)-Buffalo Bills:Evans was initially assigned the jersey number 84. Evans, as a reference to his full name, had always worn the number 3 in college, a number that was not allowed to be used in professional football for wide receivers...
, football player for the Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Elmer FlickElmer FlickElmer Harrison Flick was an American player in Major League Baseball from until . An outfielder known predominantly for his solid batting and speed, Flick was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963....
, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame - Augustus Herman PettiboneAugustus Herman PettiboneAugustus Herman Pettibone was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives for the 1st congressional district of Tennessee.-Biography:...
, United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution... - Tim TaylorTim Taylor (newscaster)Tim Taylor is an American former Emmy-Award winning newscaster/investigative reporter and news anchor for FOX-TV Affiliate WJW-TV 8 in Cleveland, Ohio. Taylor served as the Chief Anchor of FOX 8 News at Six and Ten , Monday through Friday on WJW...
, former longtime Cleveland-area newscaster and radio personality - Archibald Willard, painterPaintingPainting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
of The Spirit of '76