15 Best Things to Do in Bedford (MA)

Close to Lexington and Concord, this small town in Greater Boston participated in the first engagement of the American Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775.

Bedford is located at the end of the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway, a 10-mile rail trail that is roughly the same length as Paul Revere's legendary Midnight Ride.

The track is located in a historic railway depot, and from here you can access two other railway tracks, with plenty of interesting things to see along the three routes.

Around Bedford are fine colonial houses, steeped in Revolutionary history, and the local library holds a militia flag believed to have been raised in pitched battles.

1. Minuteman Commuter Bikeway

Three abandoned railway lines intersect at Bedford's Depot Park complex, the most famous of which is the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway, which is at the head of its western track.

A 10-mile paved trail takes you to Alive Station in Cambridge, on the route of the old Boston and Maine Railroad. The stretch between Bedford and Lexington dates back to 1846, but people traveled this route long before railroads existed.

The line lies on the estimated path of Paul Revere's famous midnight flight in the early hours of 19 April 1775 to warn of the approaching British.

The freight house at Bedford Depot is home to a museum detailing Bedford's complex railway history, and nearby Bikeway Source is a dedicated bike shop if you need something for your trip.

2. Job Lane House

At 295 North Road, you can tour the 1713 Colonial Saltbox House. Job Lane, the grandson of one of the city's early settlers, served as city officer and church deacon, and his son was a man wounded in the battle. an agreement

The house passed through several generations of the Lane family until the mid-19th century, and the city acquired it in the 1970s.

In the early 1990s, a barn was attached to the house, built in the style of the 1720s, and today the property represents an informative insight into life in Bedford in the 18th century. Tours are held on the second and fourth Sundays of the month in the afternoon from May to October.

3. Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

On the western edge of Bedford, the banks of the Concord River are protected by the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, which includes about 12 miles of riverfront between Billerica and Wayland.

The majority of this conservation area consists of freshwater wetlands, making it one of the best inland areas in Massachusetts for viewing birdlife.

Several species of waterfowl including blue-winged teals, wood ducks, black ducks, and mallards nest in the refuge. Since the river is a migration corridor, the list of recorded species exceeds 220 species.

In the spring, you may see black-and-white mallards, tree swallows, turkey vultures and ring-billed ducks en route, while migratory birds such as yellow-breasted warblers and rose-breasted grosbeaks appear in the fall.

4. Bedford Free Public Library

Dating back to 1876, the excellent Bedford Public Library moved to its current building in 1968 to accommodate the city's rapidly growing population.

The building was expanded in 1999, and today the library offers a wide range of resources, programs, and services to the community.

For people passing by, one of the main reasons to stop by is to see the Bedford Flag, which is believed to be the oldest battle flag in the United States.

According to oral tradition, it was blown over North Bridge on April 19, 1775, during the Battle of Concord. The flag is made of crimson damask silk, and depicts an armored arm holding a sword, with the motto "VINCE AUT MORIRE" (Victory or Death).

The exact origin is unclear, but it was likely built in the late 18th century, and is now kept in a safe, climate-controlled room where it can be viewed on request.

5. Bedford Farms Ice Cream

The oldest continuously operating business in Bedford is an ice cream brand that began as a dairy in the 1880s. Bedford Farms began making ice cream after World War II, opening a stand that quickly evolved into a local institution.

By the 1980s, ice cream had become the sole purpose of Bedford Farms, and the company continued to expand, opening a second store in Concord and building a new production facility in 2000.

Permanent highlights include Coffee Oreo, Peanut Butter Cup and Green Monster (mint ice cream, candy, and Oreo), and you can choose from a wide range of limited editions and seasonal flavors like pumpkin.

Bedford Farms also offers frozen yogurt, sorbets, ice cream and snacks, and you can enjoy your delicious meals at the front seats.

6. Narrow Gauge Rail Trail

When laid out in the 1870s, the Billerica and Bedford Railroad became the first two-foot common carrier in the United States.

It proved unsuccessful, but it created a blueprint for similar lines later built in Maine. By 1885, the railroad bed had been converted into a standard gauge extension for the Lexington Branch of the Boston and Lowell Railroad.

The last passenger service came in 1931, and the line was closed to freight in the early 1960s. The railway track is paved with stone dust and runs three miles to the Billerica line.

On your trip you can stop at Memorial Park, and Lake Van is a beautiful place with an interesting story (more on that later).

7. Reformatory Branch Trail

A short distance west of Depot Park, you can reach another rail trail. Four miles long and leading to Concord Centre, the Correctional Branch Trail differs from others in Bedford in that it has been left undeveloped, although there were plans to pave the Bedford portion of the trail when we wrote this article.

The route lies on the Middlesex Central Railway, which was built in 1873. The name comes from the old Concord Reformatory (Massachusetts Correctional Institution - Concord), which became part of the line in 1879.

It's an easy way to hike or bike to the Concord Unit of Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, as well as to North Bridge, where "Sound of World's Gunshots" was played.

8. Fawn Lake

Located just off the Narrow Gauge Rail Trail north of Bedford, it is a pocket of delightful nature. Fawn Lake is adorned with forest flowers, fed by natural springs, and was enlarged by Italian workers in the 1870s for the Sweetwater Hotel.

The water was prized for its “medicinal properties” and was the basis of a range of pharmaceutical products in the late 20th century.

The lake has been the subject of cleanup efforts over the past few years to remove the deep layer of aquatic plants.

A tangle of blazing trails now stretches through the forest and much of the coast. The surrounding area is fairly small, but the absence of busy roads can make the shores of Fawn Lake seem remote.

9. Two Brothers Rocks

This pair of boulders along the Concord River was deposited by a glacier about 11,000 years ago and has served as a landmark for people for hundreds of years.

Three Native American paths crossed at exactly this place, and much later, boulders marked the boundaries between grants to John Winthrop and Thomas Dudley, governors of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

The two men rarely met face to face, but the stones became a symbol of cooperation and the spirit of democracy.

The two brothers served as boundary markers until the early 1900s, and are now in the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.

You can get here by taking the blue trail through the Altman Conservation Area starting at Dudley Road.

10. Chip-In Farm

The Reformatory Branch Trail passes a beautiful farm and general store. Chip-In Farm is known for the fresh eggs laid by hens raised on the property.

They are collected, washed and sorted daily, and are on store shelves the next day.

You can shop here for fresh produce as well as tempting artisanal groceries, from olives to fresh bread, local Bedford honey and maple syrup, grass-fed meats and chocolate-covered desserts.

The farm has many barnyard animals, such as sheep, goats, miniature horses and a pig, and you can buy food for them. Check the calendar for activities on the farm, including regular goat yoga classes.

11. Patriot Golf Course

The public is invited to play this 9-hole course at Hanscom Air Force Base. It's a valuable facility, regularly voted America's best military mini-golf course, while also representing excellent value, with green fees of $24 for nine holes on weekdays.

Military and Department of Defense customers receive priority during peak times, and you must schedule your tee time at least one day in advance, and by phone.

Patriot Golf Course has a pro shop with everything you need, as well as a 275 yard driving range, with a 20 green and 8 green tees.

12. Hartwell Town Forest

You're never far from a walk in the woods in Bedford, as the city is home to several protected city-owned properties.

It is well maintained and features well-lit driveways and parking areas. Another favorite is Hartwell Town Forest, near Hanscom Air Force Base, with its soaring foothills.

Easily accessible from the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway, the main Blue Blazed Trail is only 1.5 miles long. It takes you through a pine grove perfect for a picnic, and through the moors at Hartwell Brook.

13. Minute Man National Historical Park

There are moments in both Bedford Lexington and Concord, where the first engagements of the American Revolutionary War took place on April 19, 1775.

Minute Man National Historical Park preserves sites such as Northbridge, where the first British regular soldier was killed, and Lexington Battle Green, scene of the war's first battle.

You can follow the path of British retreats along the five-mile Battle Road Trail, entering historic buildings such as the Hartwell Tavern (1733), where park rangers wear colonial garb.

The area also has a literary heritage, with Concord being a literary center in the 19th century. The Wayside, which is found in the park, was home to Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and children's author Margaret Sidney.

14. Minute Man Visitor Center

Along Battle Road, near the park's eastern entrance, is the Minute Man Visitor Center, ten minutes from Bedford. Inside you can find more context about the remarkable events that occurred on April 19, 1775.

An archaeological survey was recently carried out at the site of Parker's Revenge, one of the engagements during the war, and the center displays some of the artefacts discovered during the excavation, including a musket ball.

One eye-catching exhibit is a 40-foot-tall mural depicting the battle between colonists and British regulars, while “The Road to Revolution” is a fascinating multimedia display, less than half an hour long.

15. Fitch Tavern

Now a private residence, Fitch Tavern, located at 12 Great Road, played a role in the events of 19 April 1775. It was here that a third of Bedford's 77-man militia was assembled before the Concord was built.

Fitch's Tavern dates back to 1710 and is the oldest building in the city. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, the hotel was managed by Jeremiah Fitch, a sergeant in the Bedford militia company.

The story goes that people gathered by the fireplace in the dining room, with a breakfast of cold corn mush and hot buttered rum.

As they ate, Captain Jonathan Wilson is said to have uttered the famous words: "It's a cold breakfast, boys, but we'll give the Britons a hot dinner; we've got 'em, every dog's up before night."