Bedford, TX

With a population of around 47,000, Bedford, Texas, is one of three cities in northeast Tarrant County that make up the Hurst, Euless, and Bedford (HEB) community, which has a combined population close to 142,000. The HEB region is located northeast of Fort Worth and northwest of Dallas, with the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport only 10 minutes away. Bedford, covering 10 square miles, lies between Hurst and Euless. As the growing Hurst and Euless encroached upon the Bedford area, citizens voted to incorporate the city in 1953; consequently, Bedford joined the other two cities as its own entity. Today the HEB community shares an exemplary school district as well as a chamber of commerce.

Bedford made national headlines in 2005, when residents protested a property tax increase that was 27 percent higher than the previous year's rate. In response to an election that rescinded the tax increase and rolled property taxes back to the original rates, plus an 8 percent additional rollback, the city council closed the city's two swimming pools, its recreation center and tennis courts, and its library. No U.S. library had been closed since 1989, and controversy ensued when the American Library Association challenged Bedford's closing. An anonymous donation a few months later allowed the city to reopen the facilities.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

The median household income in Bedford is higher than that of other southern regions. Major employment sectors in the HEB region are management and financial; professional; and sales. Major employers in the HEB area include:

• Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
• North East Mall
• AMR Corp.
• Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
• Bell Helicopter Textron

Bedford is also home to the headquarters of the Automotive Service Association, an international trade association for the mechanical and collision sectors of the automotive service industry.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Bedford has an all-urban population. The city accommodates around 21,100 houses. Out of these, about 11,200 houses are owner-occupied, whereas about 9,000 are renter-occupied.

Bedford's 10 square miles comprise many distinct neighborhoods, including:

• River Forest is a neighborhood of more than 200 homes situated on 16 cul-de-sacs and the streets that connect them. It was first developed in 1992 and covers roughly 60 acres in north Bedford.
• Rollingwood was originally established in January 1973 and has grown to include more than 200 homes within the borders of Forest Ridge, Bedford Road, and Harwood Road. Rollingwood is located in close proximity to the Bedford Boy's Ranch recreational area, as well as the Old Bedford Schoolhouse.
• Willow Creek is a newer area, mostly composed of homes from the 1990s. This neighborhood is located south of Cheek-Sparger Road and east of Martin Road.

EDUCATION

Located in Bedford proper is LeTourneau University's Bedford Educational Center, a school offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees in business. A teacher certification program is offered as well.

More than 30 other colleges and universities and numerous trade and technical schools are also accessible from Bedford.

EVENTS

In addition to seasonal events, such as a Valentine's Day dance, an Easter egg hunt, an Independence Day celebration, a Halloween festival and a holiday tree lighting, Bedford offers several forms of entertainment:

• Onstage in Bedford: For over 20 years, the Bedford community theater has captivated audiences with productions that include Oliver, The Odd Couple, Sweeney Todd and Romeo and Juliet.
• Twilight Thursdays Concert Series: Every Thursday evening at the Old Bedford School, the City of Bedford sponsors concerts with music ranging from jazz to oldies to rock and roll.
• Heritage of the Seven Celtic Nations Festival: This annual gathering celebrates Celtic culture and heritage with an assortment of events and demonstrations such as traditional crafts, bagpipe music, Celtic storytelling and traditional dancing. A highlight of the festival is the Dallas-Fort Worth DeLorean Motor Club's exhibit. Visitors get an up-close look at the unique styling of these Irish-engineered sports cars that were made famous by the Back to the Future movie trilogy.

FOR VISITORS

Conveniently situated between Dallas and Fort Worth, Bedford has easy access to the best attractions that the metroplex has to offer. Visitors can find shopping, symphonies, concerts, museums, professional sports teams and more in nearby cities:

Arlington: Fewer than 10 miles from Bedford is Arlington, which attracts thousands of tourists every year. There, visitors can enjoy:

• Six Flags Over Texas
• Six Flags Hurricane Harbor
• Rangers Ballpark in Arlington

Grand Prairie: Around six miles from Bedford, Grand Prairie is home to:

• Nokia Theater at Grand Prairie
• Lone Star Park
• Traders Village
• Louis Tussaud's Palace of Wax and Ripley's Believe It or Not!

Dallas: Distances from Bedford to Dallas vary according to the attraction's location, but most are within 30 miles:

• Dallas Museum of Art
• State Fair of Texas
• Dallas Mavericks (basketball)
• Dallas Stars (hockey)
• FC Dallas (soccer)
• Dallas World Aquarium and Zoological Gardens
• Dealey Plaza
• Old City Park
• Deep Ellum
• Meyerson Symphony Center

Forth Worth: Fort Worth is approximately 15 miles from Bedford and presents a number of educational, entertaining options:

• Fort Worth Stockyards
• Sundance Square
• Fort Worth Zoo
• Fort Worth Botanic Garden
• Bass Hall
• Amon Carter Museum
• Kimbell Art Museum
• Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
• Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
• Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
• Texas Motor Speedway

FAMILY FUN

The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex offers an abundance of parks, lakes, athletic complexes, recreational centers and golf courses, all within driving distance of Bedford. In addition, Bedford boasts eight city parks that have walking and jogging trails, playground equipment, pavilions and sports fields.

The largest and most popular park in Bedford is the Boys Ranch Park and Activity Center. Features of the park include:

• Small lake with a spray fountain
• Shuffleboard court
• Roller hockey court
• Fishing pier
• Picnic tables and grills
• Three covered pavilions
• Jogging path around the lake
• Baseball and soccer fields
• Two sand volleyball courts
• Six lighted tennis courts
• Aquatic center
• Game room