Bedford County - American Courthouses

Bedford County is named for Fort Bedford which was named after the Duke of Bedford.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Blair County and Huntingdon County

E – Fulton County

S – Alleghany County, Maryland

W – Somerset County

Created: March 9, 1771

County Seat

Bedford 1771 – present

County Courthouse – Bedford

Location: 200 South Juliana Street / Pennsylvania Street

Built: 1828

Style: Greek Revival

Architect: Solomon Filler

Contractor: Solomon Filler

Description: The building faces east and is a two story red colored brick and wood structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Bedford. The east front has two high white colored Doric columns with pilasters framing the recessed entrance beneath a lunette in the gable. On either side, corner white colored pilasters rise to a wide white colored header which runs across the top with the fan window and sloped roof above. There is a large square white colored wood cupola with clock and round section with gold colored dome, at the east end of the roof. The interior has a central-hall plan with offices lining the hall on the first story. A pair of curving cantilevered staircases rises from the oval lobby to a single landing, lending access to the only courtroom located on the second story. The courtroom is simple and wood paneled, with amphitheater seating facing the judge’s bench. The building houses the County Court of Common Pleas of the 57th Judicial District. The building was enlarged on the west side in 1876. On the west and south side is the County Administration Building constructed in 2006 to 2007, on the south side is the Old Clerk’s Office and the William Lyon House and up the hill on the southwest side is the Old County Jail..

Note: The courthouse is the oldest courthouse in Pennsylvania still used as a courthouse. Built in 1828 by a local builder named Solomon Filler, the building was slightly enlarged at the back in 1876.

Note: In 1858, President James Buchanan used the Bedford Springs Hotel as his summer White House. The U.S. Supreme Court also met there, the only time they have met outside of Washington.

County Courthouse Annex – Bedford

Location: 200 South Juliana Street / Pennsylvania Street

Built: 2006 – 2007

Style: Modern

Architect: David B Albright of Altoona and Richard Levengood of Lancaster

Contractor: A G Cullen Construction nc. of Pittsburg

Description: The building faces east and is a three story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Bedford along the west side of the courthouse. The lower stories are red colored brick and the upper story is sheathed in Dryvit, a synthetic stucco, minimizing its visual impact on the original courthouse. The building connects with the courthouse on the north and with the William Lyon House on the south. At the southwest is a large rectangular section with hipped roof which descends eastward down a slope on West Vondersmith Avenue. On the north side of this section is a circular section with projecting canopy and entrance along Lancaster Street.

Courthouse Annex (William Lyon House) – Bedford

Location: 204 South Juliana Street / Pennsylvania Street

Built: 1833

Style: Paladin

Architect: Solomon Filler

Contractor: Solomon Filler

Description: The building faces east and is a three story red colored brick and wood style structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Bedford on the south side of the courthouse. The east front has a one story white colored portico. Frieze band windows pierce this entablature with white colored shutters and continue on the side elevations. Wide bridged chimneys act as parapets at the gable ends, completely obscuring the shallow gabled roof. The interior has two rooms enfilade in the central axis, and a stair hall in the northwestern corner. The building extends eastwards to connect with the County Courthouse Annex and was originally the carriage house. The building is named as the William Lyn House. The building was renovated in 2006. The architect was David B Albright of Altona and Richard Levengood of Lancaster.

History: The county was created in 1771 and Bedford was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse and jail were built on the Public Square in 1773 to 1774. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1828 to 1829. The County Courthouse Annex was constructed in 2006 to 2007.