​Bedford County has an historic heritage spanning more than three centuries.  Its earliest settlement and exploration is associated with the early history of the Commonwealth and the Nation.  Bedford County was officially created in 1771 with the current boundaries established in 1850.  The area is shaped by the ridge and valley topography.  Place names frequently refer to the ridges as "knobs" and low lands as "coves".  Land transportation routes usually pass through gaps in the ridges to avoid the mountainous terrain.  Both Bedford and Everett are examples of such settlements.

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Early settlers were drawn to the area because of its natural resources, waterways, and rich farmland.  The early settlement period was characterized by skirmishes with Native Americans and the struggle between the French and British for control of the land.  Native trails proved insufficient for the transportation of soldiers, pack animals, and wagons.  Forbes Road was built so that Pennsylvania could assist in securing the area for English trade and settlement.  A series of forts were constructed to provide for security and military defense.  Fort Bedford was a substantial fort along the road continuing west toward Ligonier, the site of another fort, and on towards Fort Duquesne.

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Whiskey, distilled from rye and wheat - the dominant crops raised by early farmers, was a staple consumer good in frontier culture and served as an important medium of exchange in a region short of cash.  When the U.S. Congress levied a tax on whiskey, it outraged frontier residents who felt that the burden fell disproportionately on them.  This dissatisfaction increased the sense of isolation and alienation from government authorities, which they believed were unresponsive to their special needs and interests.  This open rebellion was considered a threat to the sovereignty of the new nation.  In 1794, George Washington brought troops to settle what is now know as the Whiskey Rebellion.

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Agriculture was the predominant activity during the early settlement period.  Labor industrial development included gristmills scattered throughout the county.  Tanneries were other early industrial enterprises, which utilize the abundant water resources.  Blacksmiths were other early businesses turning raw materials in to useful goods.  There were early iron furnaces, which operated in Bedford County.

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Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon completed a three-year project to survey the boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland in the 1760's.  In the period before the Civil War, the famous Mason-Dixon Line represented the boundary between slave and free states.  The area particularly around Bedford was heavily involved in the Underground Railroad, which transported escaped slaves to freedom.

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In the early 20th century, the Lincoln Highway became the first improved road that crossed the entire country.  Coinciding with the boom in automobile ownership, the Lincoln Highway fostered the rapid growth of automobile tourism and transformed the lives of residents of southwestern Pennsylvania.  Commerce along this important road and the many paved roads it spawned transformed the roadside landscape of America.  In the more than 140 miles where the Lincoln Highway left the western Piedmont and crossed the rugged Alleghenies, an unusual concentration of historic, cultural, and scenic resources have survived and provide glimpses of the early transportation era in both Pennsylvania's history and the Nation's history.  These resources are managed, marketed, and preserved by the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor, Inc.

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In 1977, a countywide historic research project inventoried, studied, described, photographed, and mapped the historic resources of the county.  All historic structures were ranked by age, location, acreage, and current ownership.  Each building and site was described, including its architectural style and its contributing significance to the history of Bedford County.  This effort documents the rich heritage of the area and its many historic communities.

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Located in Bedford County today is a virtually unparalleled collection of historic buildings and sites, many of them still in use or in stages of restoration.  Unlike many areas rich with historic background, Bedford County can boast that the actual sites and buildings that have figured in most of its major past events remain standing, in use, and in good condition in the late 20th century.

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