Pictures Of The 1958 Fort Bedford Bicentennial

Above is the souvenir book for the Bicentennial of Fort Bedford celebrated in 1958. It must be remembered that in the year 1957, the Russians launched Sputnik and the so-called Space Race was begun. People throughout the United States of America suddenly were stricken with 'space fever' That might have been the impetus to illustrate the rocketship and other 'outerspace' structure in the sky above the historical Fort Bedford to symbolize the county's 'modern' thinking coupled with its honoring of the past.

Below is a photo of the east portico of the 1829 Court House, used during the celebrations as a stage and in this case, as the parade reviewing stand.

1958 was a time of great interest in all things colonial. The gentlemen dressed in Revolutionary War uniforms, and the ladies were beautiful in their gingham dreses and lace covered bonnets.

Young ladies vied for the title of Miss Fort Bedford Bicentennial and even younger ladies competed to be named Little Miss Fort Bedford Bicentennial.

The parade held in Bedford Borough included local school bands led by the color guard and baton twirling majorettes.

Local business owners advertised their businesses along with church and social groups on floats, many of which carried the theme of the Bicentennial celebration. Notice the float entered by the Memorial Hospital in which an operation is being conducted along with an examination in the obstetrics department and also an emergency is being attended to in the Emergency Room.

The local service organizations were represented. The photo below shows the intrepid firemen of Bedford Station #1 with their hand-drawn pumper in front of a later horse-drawm engine.

No historical celebration would be complete without horse-drawn covered wagons. In the photo below we see such a horse-drawn wagon ~ a conestoga pulled by a hitch of six horses.

Steam machinery always is a hit in a parade, especially with the children who might never have seen such a thing.

Lastly we find a novelty from the Gay~Nineties (the 1890s, that is): a high-wheeled bicycle, commonly known as a penny farthing and the brave man who rode it.

If you can recognize and identify any of the people in these photos, please let us know so that we can include those names on these pages.