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1937 Map of Bedford

Name: 1937 Topographic Map of Bedford
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1937
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1937

About this map

Bedford serves as the industrial and civic anchor of this mid-1930s landscape, where the heavy extraction of Indiana limestone is evidenced by large operations like Fanning Quarry, Peerless Quarry, and Lehigh Quarry. The region's economy is deeply tied to the railroads that navigate the winding valleys, with the Chicago Indianapolis and Louisville and the Baltimore and Ohio connecting river towns to wider markets.

The East Fork White River carves a dramatic southern border, defined by the sharp bend of the Devils Backbone near Tunnelton. Local life is centered around rural landmarks such as the County Farm and small community hubs like Heltonville, Leesville, and Pinhook. Researchers can trace the placement of numerous country schools and churches, including Shawswick Sch, Henderson Sch, and the United Brethren Ch, which dotted the uplands between the major drainages of Salt Creek and Guthrie Creek.