Welcome to the Fort Bedford Museum!
Old
Fort Bedford was a British Stockade built in 1758 as part of the French
and Indian War campaign against the French at Fort Duquesne. After several
failed attempts in the early 1750's, the British launched a major offensive
against Fort Duquesne in 1758. Facing the formidable task of crossing the
Allegheny Mountains and the threat of attack, numerous stockades were built
along the trek west. Fort Bedford was constructed as a key fortification
along the military path, Forbes Road, and served as the staging area for the
successful campaign. After the war, Fort Bedford was used as a British outpost on the frontier as refuge from
Indian attack as the exploration westward increased. The stockade stood strong until the
1770's.
Travelers
stopping in Bedford, PA have enjoyed visiting the historic and educational
Fort Bedford Museum. In 1958, 200 years after the fort was erected by the British, a blockade style structure built out
of logs and chinking now stands near the site of the first Fort Bedford.
The museum now has a main gallery, a transportation
room, a rear gallery, mezzanine and gift shop. Inside, visitors will find
the blockhouse structure that houses a large scale model of the original
Fort depicting Forbes Road and the surrounding area. The Fort Bedford Museum
also displays a broad spectrum of history: Native American artifacts collected
from the region, thousands of household items dating back more than 200
years, flintlock rifles, early clothing, antique hand tools and much more
that help to recreate the atmosphere of the new frontier of western Pennsylvania.
Acknowledgements
The Fort Bedford Museum would not have been possible without volunteers' skill and tireless efforts. Fort Bedford Museum would like to thank the long-time volunteers Larry Yantz and James Hostetler, each tourist, student and history buff alike for visiting the Fort Bedford Museum and, lastly, the Borough of Bedford for your continued support and contributions. Without you, organizing, identifying and cataloging Bedford's rich history would not be possible.