Click on the county name or the county in the map and it will bring up the county details as well as additional links

 

 

Bedford County

Stategically located between the metropolitan areas of Lynchburg and Roanoke, Bedford is part of the Lynchburg Metropolitan Statistical Area. An excellent labor environment exists, providing good availability at reasonable costs, and a strong work ethic results in high productivity and low turnover.

The Bedford area abounds with natural beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities offering residents and visitors an attractive and pleasant environment to live, work and play.

History

Bedford County was formed in 1754 and named for the Fourth Duke of Bedford, a British Government official. In 1839, the Town of Liberty (now the City of Bedford) was established. Originally an agricultural economy, Bedford's industrial development began in 1880, and since that time industrial growth has been consistent and often fostered by the involvement of local citizens.

In the early 1980s, the city undertook renovation of its historic downtown district and became one of Virginia's first Main Street Cities.

Location

Bedford County consists of 764 square miles in the west-central portion of Virginia's central plateau. Its boundaries include the Blue Ridge Mountains on the west, the James River on the northeast and Smith Mountain Lake on the south. The area has a rolling to hilly terrain with elevations from 800 feet to 4,200 feet above sea level. Labor Force The Bedford area labor force is adequate for existing and future industrial needs. Workers are plentiful in thearea. The Bedford City/County labor force totals 25,930 with 59 percent male and 41 percent female. Twenty-nine percent of the Bedford area work force is employed in manufacturing. Service, retail trade, local government and construction are the next largest employers.

Media

Newspapers
The Bedford Bulletin, weekly
The Smith Mountain Eagle, weekly
The Vinton Messenger, weekly
The Roanoke Times, daily
The Lynchburg News and Advance, daily.

Radio
WBLT-AM, City of Bedford
WLQE-FM, Smith Mountain Lake
Lynchburg and Roanoke stations

Television
Lynchburg and Roanoke television stations provide programming to the area and cover all major networks including a public television affiliate. Cable service is available in many areas of the county, especially near the City of Bedford, Lynchburg and Roanoke and parts of Smith Mountain Lake.