Olde Liberty Station

As in other small towns, Bedford's railroad station was the hub of community life. Transportation of passengers, freight and mail, from the railways' inception through World War II and the Industrial Revolution, meant that railroad stations were a vital part of both the local and national economy. In 1881, the Norfolk and Western Railroad emerged from a series of railway expansions and consolidations. Under its direction, Bedford's station enjoyed and suffered the same consequences as the rest of the nation's railways. These included economic booms and depressions, the effects of war, and finally, near-abandonment in the face of automobile and airplane travel.