Editing Bedford County, Virginia (section)

== History ==
[[File:4thDukeOfBedford.jpg|thumb|left|upright|John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford, for whom the county was named]]

The Piedmont area had long been inhabited by [[indigenous peoples]]. At the time of European encounter, mostly [[Siouan]]-speaking tribes lived in this area.

Bedford County was established by the [[Virginia General Assembly]] on December 13, 1753, from parts of [[Lunenburg County, Virginia|Lunenburg County]].<ref>[https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/county-formation-during-the-colonial-period/ County Formation during the Colonial Period]. Encyclopedia Virginia. Accessed January 11, 2024.</ref> Later in 1756, a portion of [[Albemarle County, Virginia|Albemarle County]] lying south of the James River was added. The county is named for [[John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford|John Russell]], the fourth [[Duke of Bedford]], who was a [[Secretary of State for the Southern Department|Secretary of State]] of Great Britain.<ref>{{cite book|editor-last=Salmon|editor-first=Emily|editor2=Edward D.C. Campbell, Jr.|title=The Hornbook of Virginia History : a ready-reference guide to the Old Dominion's people, places, and past|date=1994|publisher=Library of Virginia|location=Richmond|isbn=0884901777|edition=4th}}</ref> In 1782, [[Campbell County, Virginia|Campbell County]] was formed from eastern Bedford County and the county seat was moved from New London to Liberty (now Bedford). Also in 1786, the portion of Bedford County south of the Staunton (Roanoke) River was taken with part of [[Henry County, Virginia|Henry County]] to form [[Franklin County, Virginia|Franklin County]].

The town of Bedford became an [[independent city]] in 1968, and remained the county seat. On September 14, 2011, the Bedford City Council voted to transition into a town and end its [[independent city]] status. The supervisors of Bedford County also voted to accept the town of Bedford as part of the county when it lost city status. The town of Bedford once more became part of Bedford County on July 1, 2013.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/article_5dcbc886-e1e9-11e2-a412-001a4bcf6878.html |publisher=newsadvance.com |access-date=July 21, 2013 |work=The News and Advance |first=Justin |last=Faulconer |title=Bedford Reversion to Town Becomes Official Today |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801044750/http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/article_5dcbc886-e1e9-11e2-a412-001a4bcf6878.html |archive-date=August 1, 2017  }}</ref>