Page 17 - FY 2026-2027 Adopted Budget Book

History of the City of Bedford

Geography

The City of Bedford is located in Northeast Tarrant County in the region of North Central Texas. It lies
approximately fourteen miles from downtown Fort Worth and twenty-two miles from downtown Dallas along
SH 121. Bedford is central to area airports situated five miles west of DFW International Airport, twenty-two
miles west of Dallas Love Field, and twenty-two miles southeast of Alliance Airport. The City has a total land
area of approximately ten square miles, or 6,393 acres.

History

Settlers first arrived in the Bedford area in 1860. In 1869 Weldon Wiles Bobo migrated to the area from
Bedford County, Tennessee and established a store named “Bobo’s Store.” He secured the first post office in
1877, and the town was named Bedford for his home county. By 1882, the community had grown to a
population of about 2,000 and had 28 businesses along Bedford Road, including three general stores, two
drug stores, two blacksmith shops, two saloons, two cotton gins, and a grist mill.

The public school system was established in the area after 1894. Bedford Elementary School was constructed
at the current site of the Old Bedford School in 1912 and remained in operation until 1969. It was the first use
of brick as a building material in the area. The turn of the twentieth century saw a steady decline in the Bedford
population. A new growth period began with World War II as military bases and defense contractors began to
build in surrounding areas. Following World War II, the Bedford Boys Ranch was established on a 253-acre
tract of land in 1949.

Form of Government
Bedford’s citizens voted to incorporate on December 30, 1952, creating a two‑square‑mile town with a
population of roughly 475. The community was initially governed under a mayor‑commission structure. On
September 24, 1966, residents approved a home‑rule charter and adopted the council‑manager form of
government, marking Bedford’s transition to the City of Bedford, Texas.

Currently, Bedford operates under the council-manager government. It elects a Mayor and six Council
Members at-large to serve staggered three-year terms. All powers of the City and the determination of policy
are vested in the elective Council, which enacts legislation, adopts budgets, determines policies, and appoints
the City Manager - who executes the laws and administers the government of the City. The City Manager is
directly responsible to the Council and each of the department directors report to the City Manager’s office.

FY 2026-2027 Adopted Budget Book · September 15, 2026 13