Bedford County Courthouse

Bedford County has a long history of court houses. The first court house in Bedford County was established in 1810. It was built on the northwest corner of the public square. It was a small wooden structure. It probably stood where the Bedford County Bank or the United Methodist Church stands now. On January 25,1811 a notice was carried in the Democratic Clarion and Tennessee Gazette, Nashville, Tennessee for bids on building a brick court house to be 42x38 feet. In this building the first story was to be 16 feet high and the second story was to be 11 feet high. This building was the first permanent court house built in the middle of the square. This court house was destroyed by the storm of 1830. Another was built of brick in 1831. This one stood where the first one stood and where the present one stands. This one stood until 1863 when it burned down through soldiers who were occupying the building.

The third and forth court houses, which were brick, owned by the county were under construction from 1869 to 1873. It was considered a magnificent building. It cost $1,500. This court house burned in December of 1934 by mob violence. The present day court house was built the following year at the cost of $175,000. In 1969 an elevator was added.