Founded as the town of Liberty in 1782, Bedford was renamed after the Fourth Duke of Bedford and is in the
Central Region of the state. The town is home to many historic structures, including Avenel, a former 1838 plantation manor house that once welcomed such visitors as General Robert E. Lee and writer Edgar Allen Poe; tours are available. South of town, Liberty Lake Park offers some 60 acres for recreational pursuits, including a 2.5-acre stocked lake and hiking trails. East of town is Poplar Park, home to one of the world's largest yellow poplar trees. Bedford is located just west of
Roanoke, on Hwy 221/460. Bedford is part of the
Lynchburg, Virginia metro area.
